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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26678083">Eternity's Gateway</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterSkullFairy/pseuds/GlitterSkullFairy'>GlitterSkullFairy</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Valhalla Panacea [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Afterlife, Family Fluff, Feels, Fix-It, Fluff, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Sleipnir, M/M, Messing with Mythology, Post-Endgame, Reunions, Tony and Loki are Married, messing with space and time</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 02:42:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>22,949</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26678083</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/GlitterSkullFairy/pseuds/GlitterSkullFairy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony and Loki are enjoying their afterlife together but they still miss their other children.<br/>Sleipnir is growing up and discovering new and unique abilities.<br/>They have ideas about to reunite the rest of their family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Loki/Tony Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Valhalla Panacea [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1534043</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>87</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This story is the final instalment in a three part series that I started too long ago.  It will make a lot more sense if you read the whole thing in order, but it is entirely up to you.<br/>If you've been waiting for the final part, <i>I'm so sorry it's late!</i> I kept getting distracted by other fandoms, but I'm here now.  You may thank my young son who has recently been playing with his Iron Man toys, and Kymera219 for cute FrostIron pictures.  The muse has returned.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony lay in bed with his sleeping husband, their baby snuggled in between them.  They were both exhausted.  Being born was hard work for mother and child alike.  But they were safe now, and home, and everything felt so right.</p>
<p>Sleipnir was beautiful.  They had a head full of thick, dark hair- unusual in a newborn.  Their hazel eyes were closed as they rested, tiny hands curled up in tiny fists at the sides of their head.  In spite of the evidence, it still felt wrong thinking of them as a "he."  Tony wasn't sure why, but he just knew it didn't fit.  "Son" was fine, as it seemed to denote relationship more than gender, just as Loki could be a male mother.  But Sleipnir's gender seemed to be something more fluid, more elusive than simply "boy" because they were born with a penis.  Perhaps eternity was influencing him again, and he was remembering Sleipnir as something other than male when they were older.  Perhaps it was because they were made from a piece of Tony's soul that he felt some kind of empathic connection.  Whatever it was, he just knew.  And the certainty reminded him of Loki's certainty that they would find a way to Frigga's field, and he trusted both.</p>
<p>He smiled.  This was more than a hope that they would see Morgan again.  It was like they'd booked the plane tickets and were just waiting for the day.  He was so proud of his new family for achieving so many impossible things. </p>
<p>Sleipnir breathed a heavy sigh and opened their eyes.  Their hands opened and closed and they began to wiggle, looking first to an unresponsive mother, and then to their father who grinned at them.  Sleipnir opened their mouth and grinned back.  Tony pulled them closer, turning them onto their side so they could look at each other. </p>
<p>"Hey, cutie," he said softly.  "How are you doing?  You like being out in the world?"</p>
<p>They gurgled a response.</p>
<p>Tony raised his brows.  "Really?  That good?  I guess you have a lot going on.  Your mom is pretty awesome."</p>
<p>Sleipnir hummed and waved their hands at Tony's chest, as if trying to reach for the light.  Their coordination still needed some development though, and it took several tries before they finally touched the Reactor.  Once they found it, they kept slapping it happily.</p>
<p>"You like my glowy thing, huh?  Maybe one day I'll make you one too.  When you're bigger, of course.  Gotta learn to walk before you can fly."</p>
<p>"Garr-ya-yah," they agreed, still hitting the circle.</p>
<p>"Do you want to see what it does?"</p>
<p>They squealed with excitement. </p>
<p>"Okay, but don't get scared, it's still me."  He tapped it, and the armour clicked into place. </p>
<p>Sleipnir's eyes widened and their bottom lip stuck out.  Tony quickly put it away again.  "See?  Just me.  I'm still here underneath.  The suit is just another part of me, just like the glowy thing.  Watch."  He tapped again, leaving the helmet off this time, giving the baby a big smile.  "Just Daddy with extras.  No need to worry."</p>
<p>Sleipnir stared at him, and stared at the Reactor, and then slapped it.  The suit went away, and they smiled.</p>
<p>Tony frowned.  "I'm the only one who's supposed to be able to do that.  But I guess you're a part of me."</p>
<p>They slapped it again, bringing out the armour once more, making sounds of childish delight.  </p>
<p>Loki stirred and opened his eyes. "What's going on?"</p>
<p>"Sleipnir has discovered I have a button.  And kids just love buttons."</p>
<p>They pressed it another three times, making Loki laugh.  "That's our son.  Already messing with things they shouldn't."</p>
<p>"You do realise this also means they're a prodigy.  There's no way a newborn should be able to do this.  It requires attention, hand eye coordination, an understanding of cause and effect and object permanence.  Our son is a genius."</p>
<p>"Why are you so surprised by this?  Besides the fact that they're <i>ours,</i> they're not going to age in the usual manner.  We don't have days or weeks or years.  They're going to keep getting bigger, or so I assume, but they'll develop as quickly as their mind can make the connections.  They're not bound by physical biology."</p>
<p>"In that case, I need to make sure I appreciate these moments.  Because this little one is going to grow up so fast."  He took Sleipnir in his arms and kissed them, and Loki draped an arm over them both.</p>
<p>"This moment, right here, this is Heaven," Tony breathed.  "With my God, and our child.  I think I could stay right here for… I dunno, maybe an hour before I had to jump up and go do something?"  he chuckled.</p>
<p>"Twenty minutes, maximum.  It's a shame you can't measure time or I could prove you wrong."</p>
<p>"You're just saying that to try and kick start my brain so I'll wander off and prove your point."</p>
<p>"Partly.  Also my breasts are aching.  I want my baby."</p>
<p>Tony relinquished them with a smile, and Loki sat up, leaning on the wall to feed them.  Sleipnir latched on easily this time, as if they remembered what to do (which they probably did).  They looked up at Loki as they suckled, relaxed and content.  Tony watched, enchanted.</p>
<p>"My God, you're gorgeous."</p>
<p>Loki grinned.  "I know."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Tony tried not to make too many comparisons between Sleipnir and Morgan, it hardly seemed fair when one was bound by human biology and the other was not.  Still, it was difficult not to take note of the differences.  Sleipnir seemed to learn very quickly- though of course he had no way to say how old they were in terms of days or weeks.  They would get an idea in their head and then become increasingly frustrated that their body wouldn’t quite achieve what they wanted it to do straight away.  They liked looking at things and trying to grab them.  Tony finished carving out the tree-guy toy and made a game of making it dance around in front of Sleipnir, who would pout when he couldn’t quite catch it.  Tony would slow down, repeating patterns of movement to make them more predictable, and praising his son proudly when they eventually caught it.  Sleipnir would grin and laugh and try to get the thing in their mouth, sometimes poking themself in the eye and sometimes missing entirely.  But they kept trying, and realised that things did improve slowly with practise.  Which meant they wanted to practise a lot.</p>
<p>Apparently sleep only got in the way of that.  It was a good job that none of them really needed it here.</p>
<p>Loki positively doted on the child, just as Tony did, and loved cradling them in his arms, nourishing them with love straight from his soul, and telling him endless tales about his heritage, and about magic, and the worlds that came before Valhalla.  He created them into myths, the same way the Vikings told myths about Asgard.  He used his magic to teach and entertain them too, often both at once, helping them to improve their physical coordination and their brain to make connections. </p>
<p>They often went for walks in the forest, or along the beach, with Sleipnir in a sling on Loki's chest.  The first time, Tony showed Loki how to wrap and tie the cloth so that it supported the baby, facing inward, but Sleipnir started fussing and began to cry as soon as they went outside.  Tony pulled them out and soothed them, and when they calmed down they waved at the trees and burbled in a commanding tone.  </p>
<p>"Oh, I get it!" Tony said, and held him so he was looking outward.  Sleipnir cooed happily.  "Right, we can work with this.  Hang on."  He rearranged them back in the sling so that they could look out and see the world, and they were satisfied with that.  Loki told them about the plants and the animals, and Tony talked about how the sun brought light and warmth even though it wasn't actually <i>real.</i></p>
<p>They often visited the Hall of the Dead too.  Sleipnir liked seeing their grandfather, and often tried to grab his beard and pull off his eye-patch to see what was underneath.  Uncle Thor always bounced them on his knee and sang silly songs to them, and then spun and threw them around until they squealed in excitement.  Lagertha loved them to distraction, demanding as many baby cuddles as she could get.  She claimed that as she had acted as midwife, she was practically family and it was her right.  Everyone wanted a turn with the infant though, to enjoy the novelty and to remember their own children.  Stories about parenthood began to be told alongside the tales of battle, and even the most hardened warriors sometimes had a tear in their eye as they listened to Sleipnir babbling stories of their own.</p>
<p>Because they seemed desperate to communicate.  They babbled and gestured constantly, as if they fully expected to get their message across.  They also seemed to understand a lot of what was said to them, and would respond with smiles when a favourite game was suggested or frowns when Tony said he was going out for a run.  Loki never let them get too far from his side, and his face grew tight even in the Hall if someone carried Sleipnir too far away.  It was as if there was still a cord binding the two of them together.</p>
<p>Thor noticed the effect it was having on Tony, though.  He heard his grumbles that the baby never slept and needed constant attention.  He noticed the pining looks Tony gave his husband when everyone else's attention was focussed on Sleipnir.  So he took the infant in his arms, and gave them a finger to grab, and spoke in a most sincere voice.</p>
<p>"That's quite a grip you have there, nephew.  I see that you are getting stronger all the time.  This is good.  You keep working those muscles, and soon you will be as strong as a tiny thing like you can be.  You will learn to walk, and then to run, and then to fight like a true warrior of Valhalla.  Your mother has plans to arm you as soon as you're able.  But you won't get very far if you stay this small.  You won't have the speed until your legs are longer, and your arms need to grow to extend your reach."</p>
<p>"Eeema pfffft?" Sleipnir enquired.</p>
<p>"Well, the way your cousin Andrea did it was to spend a great deal of time sleeping.  I know you don't tire in the same way, but while you're awake your mind and body are so busy learning that they have little focus left to work on growing.  If you were to start taking naps- like your mother did when he carried you- then you would be able put all your effort into getting bigger during those times."</p>
<p>"Aaaa-nun," they said thoughtfully. </p>
<p>"It won't happen all at once, mind you.  You should still enjoy being an infant while you can be held and adored before you get too big.  But a tiny bit with every nap will soon add up.  I suggest making it a regular thing after you've fed.  Sleep always comes easier with a full belly, and you'll feel safe and relaxed in your mother's arms.  He might put you down when he sees you're sleeping, but that's good too.  Your father built you a special cradle, and it's marked with runes and mother's blessings, so you can sleep just as well in there.  They will come and wake you up if anything fun is going to happen, so you won't miss out.  Well, give it a try, and we can measure your progress next time you're here."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Loki sat by the fire, nursing his baby and humming a gentle melody he remembered his mother singing to him.  It made him feel hopeful rather than sad, remembering her, honouring her.  He wished she could be here to see what he'd created, but contented himself with the knowledge that one day she would meet her grandchild.  Sleipnir had promised that together they would find a way into the other afterlife, that their family would be reunited, and he believed them.</p>
<p>They didn't have quite the same telepathic bond they shared while they were still physically joined, and so Loki treasured these moments they had together, knowing that as Sleipnir grew and developed they would continue to get further and further away.  Even without the link, he seemed to understand what Sleipnir wanted most of the time.  It might have been maternal instinct, but it felt more precise than that.  Like now, when he held them to his breast, and let them suckle and take in sweet milk that was little more than a metaphor for the love he felt, and all the more nourishing for it.</p>
<p>He watched as his son's eyes grew heavy and began to close.  Their mouth kept moving for a short while, but then slowed, and they let go with a contented sigh and let their head fall to the side.</p>
<p>"Look," he whispered to Tony, who was tinkering at the workshop end of the house.</p>
<p>"What?  Are they being unbelievably adorable again?"</p>
<p>"Well, yes, but look."</p>
<p>Tony put down his tools and walked over.  "They're asleep," he noted, astonishment clear in his very quiet voice.</p>
<p>"Yes."</p>
<p>"You really are a miracle worker," he grinned, pressing a kiss to Loki's cheek.  "How long have they been like that?"</p>
<p>Loki rolled his eyes.  "Hard to measure love."</p>
<p>"No I mean, did it happen just now, or have you been gazing down and getting high on baby fumes for a while?"</p>
<p>"I called you as soon as I was sure."</p>
<p>"Okay.  Well, we can take a few moments to make sure it sticks, and then maybe try putting him down for a nap."</p>
<p>"Okay," Loki agreed.  He stared down at Sleipnir, who did seem to have broken all records of cuteness, with their tiny hands tucked up to their chest and their chin bobbing as if dreaming of the breast.  "Wait, what do you mean by baby fumes?"</p>
<p>"You hadn't noticed?  This kid is like a class A drug.  Super additive, makes everyone's brain turn into a blissful mush, including mine.  Worth it though."</p>
<p>"Mmm.  I know what you mean."  They both sat there soaking in the feeling for a bit.</p>
<p>"Still…"  Tony broke the silence, and stroked a loose hair back from Loki's face.  "If we did put them down in the crib, then I could spend a while gazing adoringly at you instead."</p>
<p>Loki hummed and leaned against him.  "That sounds nice."</p>
<p>"May I?"  He stood and held out his arms, and Loki nodded.  Very carefully and gently, Tony took the baby and lay them in the cot at the end of the bed.  Loki came and stood beside him, and they watched and waited to make sure Sleipnir wouldn't wake again before turning to each other.</p>
<p>Tony smiled.  "Hello, husband."</p>
<p>"Hello," Loki purred back, cupping his cheek and seeking a kiss deeper than they'd had since the baby was born.  There was nothing urgent in it, only a sense of contentment and unity.  They pulled back and looked at each other.  "I feel like I ought to be taking this opportunity to magic off your clothes and silently ravish you," he said.  "But…"</p>
<p>Tony sighed.  "My God, I know.  Can we just lie down and snuggle?  Can I just enjoy having you all to myself for as long as it lasts?"</p>
<p>Loki chuckled.  "Yes.  That would be perfect."</p>
<p>They lay facing each other on top of the covers, just embracing and kissing some, and looking at each other.</p>
<p>"I have no idea how long it's been since we slept," Tony admitted.</p>
<p>"Forever," Loki smirked at him, and they both laughed.  "I don't want to waste this moment by sleeping.  Still I don't believe I can summon the energy to make love."</p>
<p>"That makes two of us.  Don't worry, it'll come back.  Babies are demanding.  And this one more than most.  Still, I'm pretty sure that they're the most magnificent thing I've ever seen."</p>
<p>"What, even more than me?"</p>
<p>"It's very close, I'm not sure I could call it.  Although…" his hand went to Loki's chest.  "These do give you an unfair advantage."</p>
<p>"Keep rubbing them like that and you'll get a face full of milk," Loki warned.  Tony bent and kissed them softly anyway.</p>
<p>"I would consider it a blessing of the Gods if I did.  But also, yuk.  I'm sure it's great for junior but I prefer a cold beer."</p>
<p>"I'll make you one next time we're down at the Hall."</p>
<p>"I don't know if I've said this before, but thank you, for making such an incredible child for us."</p>
<p>Loki hummed in pleasure and rubbed his nose along Tony's.  "You may have mentioned it once or twice, but it's always good to hear."</p>
<p>"You really did an outstanding job.  They're perfect, and adorable, and smart and beautiful, just like their mom."</p>
<p>"They inherited all those qualities from their father, too.  How could they be anything less than perfect when they're made out of us?"</p>
<p>"My thoughts exactly," Tony grinned.</p>
<p>"Man of Iron, what are we going to do when we are ready to make love again?  Remembering how upset you were when Narfi saw us, I imagine you're not going to be comfortable doing it in front of Sleipnir."</p>
<p>"No, I really wouldn't.  We could do some stuff while they're asleep, but the house isn't that big so we'd have to be quiet.  I'm sure we could persuade Lagertha or Thor to look after them for a while though."</p>
<p>"Either of them would leap at the chance."  He sighed.  "I might have to practise being away from my baby first, though."</p>
<p>"Why, because you're thoroughly addicted?"</p>
<p>"It seems so.  They are a part of me, and it's difficult to let go."</p>
<p>"Am I gonna have to start singing crappy Disney songs to you again, Elsa?"</p>
<p>He chuckled.  "I know."</p>
<p>"Hey, why don't you go wolf and run around the forest?  You haven't done that since before you got pregnant."</p>
<p>"Yes, that's a tempting idea.  Not now though.  I need to be here when they wake up."</p>
<p>"And I need you here while they're asleep."  He nuzzled in closer and breathed a sigh.  "God, I love you."</p>
<p>Loki pressed a kiss into his hair.  It was looking somewhat unkempt.  "I love you too."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Warning: contains non-graphic details of Viking children in battle.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sleipnir thought at first that something was wrong with Lagertha.  </p>
<p>They had just got used to listening and were starting to remember a lot of words and understand much of what was said, but they were still struggling to get their words out.  It was frustrating, but at least they knew it was temporary.  They could clearly remember being able to talk, when they were not much bigger, so it was just a matter of figuring out how their mouth was supposed to move to get the words out. They persevered in their attempts and tried not to be sad when all they managed was silly noises.</p>
<p>Perhaps Lagertha thought they had their own words and was trying to learn them.  Certainly the things she said were not the words their parents used.  As far as they could tell, it was utter nonsense, but she seemed happy about it.  Then one day Mother was watching her babble at them in the Hall and scoffed.</p>
<p>"I know they look like an infant, but you don't have to use baby talk," he said proudly.  "Sleipnir understands more than you think."</p>
<p>"Oh, I know they understand," she answered in that strange bouncy voice that made them giggle.  "But they can't talk yet.  You can't learn everything at once, you have to take teeny-tiny steps."  She grinned and walked her fingers up their tummy as she spoke.  It tickled.  "I'm showing them where they need to start."</p>
<p>"I see.  Like practising with a wooden blade?"</p>
<p>"Exactly.  Look, Sleipnir.  This is your mother.  You say ma-ma!  Try.  Ma-ma-ma-ma."</p>
<p>They opened their mouth and made a noise.  "Whu-ahhhg."</p>
<p>"Watch me.  Mmmaaa-mmmaa!"</p>
<p>They concentrated on the way her lips moved, how the sound started while they were still closed.</p>
<p>"Mmmmm!!" they managed.</p>
<p>Lagertha and Mother both grinned at them.</p>
<p>"Well done!" he cried.</p>
<p>Not yet satisfied, Sleipnir tried again.  "Mmmmmuh!  Mmmma!"</p>
<p>Mother grabbed them under the arms and spun them round in the air so that they both laughed.  "Husband!  Come and listen to this!"  When Daddy came over, the two parents sat down and held Sleipnir so they were facing each other.  "Show your father what you just learned."</p>
<p>Sleipnir was very proud of his achievement, and gave another demonstration happily.</p>
<p>Daddy looked very impressed.  He smiled broadly and his eyebrows went up.  "Wow!" he said seriously.  "I mean, I knew you were a genius and everything, but that was awesome."</p>
<p>"Mama," Sleipnir said again, waving his hands at Mother.  Then "Mama," again, waving his hands at Daddy.</p>
<p>"That's right, that's Momma, and I'm Daddy.  Da-da."</p>
<p>Sleipnir watched carefully but it was hard to see.  "Hnnn. Wah. Wuh."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I guess that's a harder one.  Am I gonna be stuck with mama too?"</p>
<p>"Ya-ya!" Sleipnir tried.</p>
<p>"Close," Mother explained.  "You've got to get your tongue to touch the roof of your mouth. Here," he pointed on himself, "and here.  Open?"  Sleipnir understood that one well enough and opened their mouth, and Mother lightly touched inside.  "Just about there."</p>
<p>They found the place with their tongue.  "Nnnn.  Nna.  Nuhn."</p>
<p>"That's good, you're getting closer.  Keep practising, you'll get it soon."</p>
<p>Sleipnir did.  All through the meal, all the way back to their house, and all the while they lay on the bed, wiggling with excitement and frustration.  They switched between the two, enjoying the sound and feel of Mother's name when Daddy's got too much.  Mother made some joke about them taking after their father.  Sleipnir knew Daddy talked more than most, but surely that was a good thing.  Everything he said was either instructive or funny.</p>
<p>Eventually Mother fed them, and then they took a break and slept for a while, but were at it again as soon as they woke up.</p>
<p>"They really do take after you, Man of Iron," Mother said fondly.  "Completely fixated on a task."</p>
<p>"Yeah, I think I get how annoying that can be now.  I keep wondering if I should go somewhere quiet, but also I want to be right here when they finally get it."</p>
<p>"Mamamamananananadunanada! Na. Nnn.  Da! Dan! Da! Da! Da-da!"</p>
<p>"Holy shit, they got it!"</p>
<p>"Well done, my child!" Mother explained, and gave them a hug.</p>
<p>"Hey, I get the hug, it's my name!"</p>
<p>They all laughed, and Daddy danced around the room with Sleipnir in his arms, babbling names.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It wasn't long after that Sleipnir worked out the rest of the sounds.  Once they knew it was all about different parts of the mouth touching, it was mostly a matter of experimenting until they found all of them, and then putting them together in the right order.  They managed to master several words before they'd got as far as sitting upright on their own, and Uncle Thor told them that it was all very well developing their mind, but they mustn't let their body get too far behind.  So they continued to chat away as they did their regular exercise, wiggling and pushing and getting strong.  There was talk of learning to crawl, but that just seemed a waste of effort to Sleipnir, who was determined to get on their feet.  Whenever an adult tried to sit them on a lap, they would push with their feet and go stiff and straight until they were held upright.  It helped them get a sense of balance, as well as developing all their muscles, and it was fun too.  </p>
<p>Getting their body to move the way they wanted it to, first to roll and then to sit and stand, was a challenge.  They were determined though, and their legs felt stronger every time they kicked.  One morning, when they woke in their cot, they rolled to the side, pushed themself up onto their knees, grabbed the bars and hauled themself up into their feet.  "Mama!  Dada!  See!" they cried.</p>
<p>They were cuddling in bed and sat up to look.</p>
<p>"Hey, kiddo!" Daddy said gently.  "Whatcha doing?"</p>
<p>"Feeeet!!!" they answered, stamping proudly.</p>
<p>"So I see.  That's pretty awesome."</p>
<p>"It's amazing," Mother agreed.  </p>
<p>They bounced and laughed loudly.  Nothing would do after that but they spend every possible moment trying to walk.  If neither parent was willing to hold their hands, they simply grabbed a wall or a piece of furniture for balance.</p>
<p>But nothing prepared them for how difficult walking unaided proved to be.  Everyone else did it so easily.  But when they tried letting go and putting one foot in front of the other, they fell over.  It was vexing, but they tried again, paying careful attention to find out what was going wrong.  There was a need to adjust other parts of the body to compensate for the movement of the feet.  Balance- that was the word. Once they'd discovered the problem, it didn't take long to overcome it.  Mother was very excited, and Father was impressed but also moaned that there would be no stopping them now.  Sleipnir blew a raspberry at him and ran across the room.  They liked running immediately.  They decided straight away that they were going to find better ways of going faster, because fast was so much fun.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Life was good.  It stretched on into an endless spring as Sleipnir grew and grew.  When they started getting too big for the cot, Tony had a bed ready for them and their own room.   They spent time in the forest and endless days by the sea.  They were always greeted with enthusiasm in the Hall, and Sleipnir started gravitating towards a few warriors whose company he seemed to prefer.  </p>
<p>Henrik, a hunter who Tony had known since soon after he arrived, came over and topped up his tankard of ale.  "It's good to see the child making friends," he noted.</p>
<p>"Yeah.  It is.  Sometimes I wish he had kids his own age to play with though, you know?  Feels like he's kinda missing out."</p>
<p>Loki laughed.  </p>
<p>"What's so funny?"</p>
<p>"Nobody here is any age, beloved.  Sleipnir is both old and young, just as many others are.  He's just smaller right now."</p>
<p>"Yeah, but all these guys got to live out their childhoods on earth.  I'm still a child at heart, but it's not the same.  I've seen too much."</p>
<p>"Look at their friends again," Loki suggested.  "They might not be quite what they appear."</p>
<p>Tony saw two brothers, with similarly styled hair, looking huge in their furs.  He saw a dark-haired woman who was not afraid of letting her voice be heard.  And he saw a slender young man, with a long, braided beard, who sipped from his cup more quietly.</p>
<p>"The brothers are Arne and Sten," Henrik explained.  "Their parents were both warriors, and they brought them on a raiding party across the ocean before their voices broke.  Arne fell in the first battle, and Sten followed him here in the next.  But the Valkyries approved of their valour, and brought them here as warriors and men."</p>
<p>"That's…" Tony swallowed.  He knew that kind of thing happened, but it was still shocking to hear it about his son's friend.  "They must have been very brave."</p>
<p>"Of course," Henrik went on.  "Then there's Revna.  Her home was invaded by bandits when she was nine years old.  Her family were farmers, but she took a knife from her dead father's boot and brought down the first man before a second attacked her.  Kare suffered a similar fate, though he was a year younger."</p>
<p>"But they look-" Tony began, but even as he said it he saw the difference. Their faces were fresh and without the heaviness of age, almost as though they were children dressing up as adults.  "Huh.  Residual self image, I guess."</p>
<p>"Quite," Loki agreed.  "They see themselves as warriors, as men and women proven in battle.  And they are.  But they are also still eternally young."</p>
<p>"So, maybe they should be doing something else beside carousing."</p>
<p>"What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"Well, if they're kids, they should have the chance to play."  He slapped the table.  "We need a ball, and a net."</p>
<p>"There are fishing nets in the boats," Henrik suggested.</p>
<p>"Perfect.  Can you get me some leather to make a ball?"</p>
<p>"Of course," he grinned.  "I'm intrigued to see what you have planned."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Tony enjoyed working with Henrik to make the ball. He could have done it himself, but it would have taken longer to get it just right.  Henrik was much more familiar with stitching leather, and they got it beautifully round and bouncy.  Tony used his laser to cut some lumber into two long poles to hold the net, and then they marked out the volleyball court on the beach.</p>
<p>Loki brought Sleipnir and their friends, along with some other young warriors, and let them choose whether they wanted to be in the red or the green team.  Sleipnir said they would play on red first, because it was Daddy's game, but then would join the green team for the second round.  The others divided themselves up fairly evenly.  Tony explained the rules simply and after a few practise points they began the game.</p>
<p>It was very competitive at first, and Arne and Sten, on opposite teams, argued the points loudly.  Sleipnir reminded them the ball had to touch inside the lines to score and told everyone that once they settled down and let themselves enjoy it, it was going to be a lot of fun, and something awesome was going to happen.</p>
<p>Nobody was quite sure what they meant, but Tony and Loki knew that it must be something special if Sleipnir remembered it- pre-membered it?</p>
<p>Points were scored, people bumped into each other and slipped on the sand in their desperation to reach the ball.  There was a lot of sweating and a lot of laughing, and some of them discarded layers of clothing to stay cool.  Loki (back to his usual shape now that Sleipnir was weaned) took his layers off slowly, making sure to distract his husband from the game.  It worked, and they won the first round.</p>
<p>Sleipnir ducked under the net and gave their mother a congratulatory hug.  "Watch what happens next," they whispered with a mischievous grin. </p>
<p>There were only glimpses of it at first.  Sten's laugh changed pitch halfway through, and then dropped again.  Revna's form seemed more slight as she jumped and span with excitement when she scored. Then, for a moment, Kare's beard entirely disappeared. By the time the red team won the final point, all the grown up facades had vanished.  Tony and Loki were playing with a bunch of very happy children.  They hugged each other and laughed, and Sleipnir insisted they keep playing.  Tony thought he might have to lower the net a little, but they all seemed to manage.  They hit harder and jumped higher.  A few games later and the two remaining adults sat down on the sand just to watch the children having fun.</p>
<p>Loki reached through a fold in space and found them both something to drink, and they leaned into each other contentedly.</p>
<p>"This really is awesome," Tony mused, as Arne chased after the ball when it went out. "I honestly never thought I'd see something like this."</p>
<p>"Our child is happy.  You're here beside me.  It's everything," Loki said softly.</p>
<p>Tony smiled and kissed him gently.</p>
<p>Eventually Sleipnir ran up and tapped the reactor, making the suit appear.</p>
<p>"You could just ask, you know," Tony muttered before the helmet fully covered his face. "What's up?"</p>
<p>"You're going to zoom off to the stream and get a really big skinful of fresh water," they said.  "Everyone's thirsty."</p>
<p>"Am I indeed?  What happened to please?"</p>
<p>"Sorry, I forget that part when I already know you'll do it.  Please, Daddy."</p>
<p>"Of course.  How many cups do I bring?"</p>
<p>"Four, because we all share."</p>
<p>He ruffled Sleipnir's hair, and stroked Loki's cheek and set off.  With a bit of physics and a touch of magic, he filled an empty wineskin four times over, grabbed the cups, threw some of Sleipnir's favourite raisin buns in a sack and headed back.</p>
<p>The children were all splashing in the waves when he returned.  He started pouring out the still cool water and they made their way back onto the sand.</p>
<p>Sleipnir was delighted when Tony showed them the buns.  They actually looked surprised, which didn't happen often.</p>
<p>"What, how did you not know I'd bring the buns?"</p>
<p>"Because they were a surprise!" was their enigmatic answer.</p>
<p>Once everyone saw the buns, Valhalla provided and made sure there were enough for everyone.  Tony paused and recounted the cups- there were now six of them. He asked Sleipnir about that too.</p>
<p>"Don't be silly, Daddy, there's still four.  Arne gives me his when he's finished, and then you refill it, and then I pass it on to Sten.  But I was thirsty so I… well, that's how it happens, we're just not waiting around to do it order."</p>
<p>"Interesting," Loki said thoughtfully. "I've not thought of using eternity in that way before."</p>
<p>"It's not easy, but I can do it with little things like cups so long as no one's paying attention."</p>
<p>"Hey, what?" Sten said suddenly and stared at his empty hand in confusion.</p>
<p>"Sorry," Sleipnir said and passed his cup along. "Here."</p>
<p>"Skol," Sten said, raising it on thanks before he drank.</p>
<p>They finished their refreshments, and the Sleipnir told everybody they should all have a game of tag before they changed back into adults.</p>
<p>"You mean, this isn't permanent?" Kare asked, sounding a little disappointed.</p>
<p>"Don't be silly.  This is Valhalla.  You decide how you want to be.  Now you know how to do it, you can be like this whenever you want.  But after we play tag, you'll be tired, and you'll all go back to the Hall for dinner and the closer you get, the more you'll worry about the other warriors seeing you as children, so you'll get bigger to fit in with them.  But we'll come back and play soon.  Oh, yes!  I just remembered!  Hide and seek in the forest is going to be so good!  Mother's going to win, but only because he cheats, so we have to do it all over again to get a proper winner."</p>
<p>Revna threw her arms around him and squeezed.  "You're amazing, Sleipnir.  You remind me of my little brother."</p>
<p>"What's his name?" Sleipnir asked, hugging her back.</p>
<p>"Leif."</p>
<p>"Do you want me to find him too?"</p>
<p>She pulled back and have him a puzzled look.  "I don't understand."</p>
<p>"I'm going to help Mom and Dad find my brother and sister.  They're in another place, but I'm going to make a door and a path so we can see each other again."</p>
<p>"How?"</p>
<p>"I'm not sure yet.  But I'm getting closer.  There's a few more things I need to figure out first, but I'm almost there."</p>
<p>Loki and Tony exchanged hopeful glances, their hearts racing.  They always wanted to talk to Sleipnir about the children in their previous lives, but so far couldn't quite figure out how to explain it.  It seemed Sleipnir already knew.</p>
<p>Loki took Tony's hand, knowing how much he yearned for it.  "Sleipnir," he smiled softly.</p>
<p>"Yes, Mother?"</p>
<p>"What can you remember about them?"</p>
<p>"That they're far away, but we'll see them soon.  They are both happy where they are, but neither of them really fit in.  They're unusual for that place.  Everyone is kind, but they're lonely.  They won't be lonely once we bring them home to Valhalla."</p>
<p>"They're coming here?  For some reason I assumed we would go see them there."</p>
<p>"Once I find the way, and open the door, everyone can visit everyone.  But Narfi and Morgan will come live with us."</p>
<p>For once, Loki didn't try to correct the dead versus alive issue.  "Sleipnir, that's wonderful news."</p>
<p>Tony couldn't speak, he was trying desperately to keep his composure.  When he was sure he wasn't going to start leaking tears, he grinned.  "I'm going to need to extend the house."</p>
<p>"Mm-hm," Sleipnir agreed with a nod.  "You should start on that soon, so it's ready in time."</p>
<p>Tony growled, and leapt up, grabbed Sleipnir in on his arms and spun him around.  "You are amazing, you know that?  I love you so much."</p>
<p>"I love you too.  Now let me go so we can play tag."</p>
<p>Tony released them slowly, and Loki seized them in another hug before they could get away.  "I love you too."  He kissed the top of their head.  "Go have fun."</p>
<p>Tony had already started sketching out house plans with his finger in the sand.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A family day at the beach.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tony and Loki sat on the beach, drinking cold beer and watching Sleipnir run up and down the sand.  They must have been about the size of a five year old, but they could already outrun some of the warriors.  Tony knew because he'd watched it happen.  Sleipnir kept going up to people in the Hall, and challenging them to a race.  They didn't always win the first time, but they would watch their opponent's technique and learn from it, and then they would always win the second race.  The child never seemed to tire.  The only time they stopped was when they began to lose interest, and then they would come to either Tony or Loki, crawl into a lap and decide to go to sleep.</p>
<p>Tony decided he wanted to do something else today.  "Sleipnir, come here!"</p>
<p>"Yes, Daddy?"  They ran up.  They weren't even breathing hard- they'd never got into the habit of needing oxygen.</p>
<p>"You want to help me build a sandcastle?"</p>
<p>"Yes!  It's going to be an amazing one.  The sand is really good over there," they said, pointing.</p>
<p>Tony knew better than to ask.  Once a course of action had been decided upon, Sleipnir often seemed to remember how it was going to go, especially if it was something they considered exciting.  "Then we better go over there.  So what's this castle going to look like?"</p>
<p>They thought as they walked, Tony holding one hand and Loki holding the other.  "It won't have crelations because there's going to be so many walls."</p>
<p>"Crenelations?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, I still can't say that one."</p>
<p>"But lots of walls sounds fun.  Is it square?"</p>
<p>"No, it's more like a circle with straight sides."</p>
<p>"A hexagon?"</p>
<p>"Hm… more than that.  Octopus?"</p>
<p>"Oh, an octagon."</p>
<p>"Yes!  And inside its full of pointy triangles, like different rooms."</p>
<p>"What are all the rooms for?"</p>
<p>"We're going to decide that as we go.  Mother's going to fill them up with magic people."</p>
<p>"Am I?" Loki asked, archly.</p>
<p>"Yes, and I've already seen it, so you can't argue."</p>
<p>Loki shrugged.  "I won't argue with destiny.  Besides, it sounds fun."</p>
<p>It was fun.  They formed the large octagon first, and then filled in the dividing walls.  Sleipnir couldn't remember the exact pattern, so they had to work it out as they went.  It wasn't as straight forward as dividing a hexagon would have been, and the adults could probably have worked it out easily if they planned it, but the journey of discovery with their son was so much more enjoyable.  It ended up very chaotic and random, with the rooms all different sizes, and Loki admitted that he liked the idea of living there.</p>
<p>"The big one in the centre is the Hall,"  Sleipnir said.</p>
<p>"Good thinking," Tony agreed, as Loki filled it with tables and benches.  "And we'll need a kitchen to prepare the food."</p>
<p>Loki conjured an illusion, complete with cook and scullery maids.  "Will that suffice?"</p>
<p>"Another two cooks, I think.  We will have a great many guests in the Hall," Sleipnir explained. </p>
<p>"Is this going to be <i>our</i> castle, then?"  Tony asked.</p>
<p>"Of course!  Our friends can stay in the rooms along this wall, and then we can all have our rooms over here."  They indicated a cluster of half a dozen middle sized rooms in the upper half of the castle.</p>
<p>"What, do we get like three each?  Can one of mine be a workshop?"</p>
<p>"No Daddy, the workshop is over there, where you won't wake anyone up with your hammering.  This room is for you and Mother to share.  Uncle Thor can have the one at the other end, and Grandfather and Grandmother can be next to him."</p>
<p>Loki and Tony looked at each other in surprise, but Sleipnir kept going.</p>
<p>"I'm going to want to be next to you two, obviously, which leaves these two for my brother and sister.  Things will be a lot noisier once we're all back together, but it's how it was meant to be."</p>
<p>Tony swallowed, trying to relieve the lump in his throat, but it only seemed to get bigger.  The closer they got to reuniting the family, the more overwhelmed he felt about it.  He'd built the walls of two new rooms either side of Sleipnir's, they just needed a roof and then some furniture.  Sleipnir seemed to be very excited about meeting them, and liked helping to get the rooms ready.  Tony enjoyed the help, even if it meant things took longer.</p>
<p>"Hang on, this is just a pretend castle, isn't it?  I'm not going to have to build one of these for real?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir's laugh was delightful, and so full of joy.  "No, silly Daddy!  We have our longhouse.  That's our home, and it always will be."</p>
<p>"You might change your mind when you're bigger," Loki said.  "You might want a home of your own.  Or with someone special."</p>
<p>"If I do, I'll figure out how to make it overlap with our house, so we can be near even when we're far away."</p>
<p>"You mean like folding space?"</p>
<p>"Yes.  I'm good at that.  It helps me run faster.  I can take long steps like the big people, even though my legs are shorter."</p>
<p>"So that's how you do it," Tony mused.  "Smart."</p>
<p>"We don't need to do that in the castle, though, because it's only pretend and there's plenty of sand.  Now, there's a big room over in this corner, what can that be for?"</p>
<p>Tony smiled at the way they switched and bounced from one topic to another.  They had too many thoughts, and he knew where they got it from.  "My guess would be a stable.  If we've got visitors coming from all over, they're going to need somewhere to keep their horses."</p>
<p>Sleipnir frowned.  "What's horses?  I don't think I know that one."</p>
<p>"Horses are a kind of animal.  People on Earth would ride them, so that they could get places faster."</p>
<p>"Faster than deer?"</p>
<p>"I think so.  Plus horses were friendlier than deer, easier to tame."</p>
<p>"What do they look like?  Mother can you show me?"</p>
<p>Loki held up an image of a horse on the palm of his hand.  "Like this."</p>
<p>"It's so little!  How did people ride them?"</p>
<p>"This is just a picture," he explained patiently.  "I'm reality, they were more like this."  He put the horse on the ground and swept his hands over it, much like Tony did when he was enlarging something on his computer display.</p>
<p>Sleipnir jumped up and walked all around the horse, taking the whole thing in.  Something lit up inside them, a sense of their true fate.  "It's brilliant!  It has four legs.  Does it go faster because of the extra legs?"</p>
<p>"Yes.  They have different ways of running depending on how fast they want to go."</p>
<p>"I want to be a horse!  I want twice as many legs so I can go faster than anyone!"</p>
<p>"Sleipnir, honey, that's not how it works…"  Tony began, but his voice trailed off as Sleipnir shifted form, becoming larger, paler, until they were a beautiful, white mare with a flowing black mane and tail.  And <i>eight</i> legs.  They reared up, neighing, and then galloped off down the beach.</p>
<p>Loki grinned.  "Our son is truly a marvel."</p>
<p>"Our son is going to get themself in trouble, if they're not careful."</p>
<p>"What trouble could there be for them here?"</p>
<p>Tony suited up and flew after them anyway, but they were going so fast he was already falling behind.  "JARVIS, exactly how fast are they going?"</p>
<p>
  <i>"The answer to that question would be given in miles per hour, but since distance is relative here, and time immeasurable, it's impossible to calculate."</i>
</p>
<p>"Okay, dumb question.  Am I going to catch up?"</p>
<p>
  <i>"Unlikely, Sir."</i>
</p>
<p>He slowed and watched his son disappear into the distance.  "Holy crap, that kid's amazing."  Then he laughed in spite of himself and went back to Loki to await their return.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>It felt like Sleipnir had been gone too long.  Loki hugged Tony tightly and told him there was nothing to worry about.  Tony buried his face in his neck, muttering. </p>
<p>"Our kid just turned into a horse and ran off.  We have no idea where they've gone, or what could happen to them.  If we were back on Earth- "</p>
<p>"We're not on Midgard, we're in Valhalla, and they will be perfectly safe."</p>
<p>"But they're just a kid."</p>
<p>"You know I'm not convinced of that.  I think they stay small to meet our expectations, but they could be as big as they want.  Horses are <i>complicated.</i>  And they just turned into one without a second thought- one with extra legs that worked, no less.  Imagine if they'd gone into your workshop and come out with a new reactor, even more powerful than the old one.  It's comparable to that."</p>
<p>Tony raised his head.  "Oh no, that's even more frightening."</p>
<p>"How so?"</p>
<p>"Because there's nothing here that could significantly harm them, except what they do to themself.  And if they have that much power and intelligence, they could make some pretty awe inspiring fuck ups.  I speak from experience."</p>
<p>"When you put it like that…"</p>
<p>But before either of them could grow too concerned, they heard the thundering rhythm of hoofbeats.  Sleipnir almost trampled them in their exuberance.  They whinied and melted back into a humanoid child.  "Daddy!  Mother!  Did you see me?  I went faster than ever!"</p>
<p>"Yeah, you did," Tony said slowly.  "Even I couldn't keep up with you.  But Sleipnir, honey, you had us both worried."</p>
<p>"What does worried mean?" they asked innocently.</p>
<p>Loki and Tony exchanged glances.  "Well, we didn't know where you were or how long you'd be gone, and we thought maybe something bad might happen to you," Tony said simply.</p>
<p>Sleipnir just laughed.  "But I'm here."</p>
<p>"Yes, <i>now,</i> but before…" he gave up and planted his face on his palm as he realised the futility of trying to explain this train of thought to a child who only had a rough concept of time.  "Help me out, here, gorgeous."</p>
<p>Loki sighed thoughtfully.  "Do you understand what I mean if I say danger?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir shook their head.</p>
<p>"There are things out there that can hurt you.  When you were learning to walk, you fell over and it hurt.  You know not to get too close to the fire because it burns.  You've seen the brawls, you know how people can injure each other.  If you're out there alone, there would be no-one to protect you from having an accident, and we'd be too far away to help."</p>
<p>Their brow furrowed as they thought.  "But getting hurt isn't that bad.  When I fall over, I just get up again.  And I only stay away from the fire because you both tell me not to go too close."</p>
<p>"Let's try something.  Close your eyes.  I want you to remember, before and in the future, and think of a time when you felt pain."</p>
<p>"What's pain?"</p>
<p>"Like when you trip up and bang your knee," Tony said, "or you bump your head, or…" he trailed off again, realising Sleipnir had not once come crying to him with an injury.  They cried, certainly, but mostly it was out of frustration or lack of understanding.  "Okay, when you remember the future, is there going to be a time when you wrestle Uncle Thor?"</p>
<p>"Yes!" they laughed.  "That will be funny.  Mother thinks it's the best thing ever."</p>
<p>"Okay, so does it feel bad, anywhere in your body, when that happens?  Are there any marks where he touches you?"</p>
<p>"Nope.  He gets confused about that.  But I'm not made of meat and bones.  I'm made of souls.  So it makes sense, really."</p>
<p>Loki grinned.  "I think we may need to revisit the idea of giving them knives."</p>
<p>
  <i>”What?"</i>
</p>
<p>“Well, it <i>does</i> make sense, doesn’t it?  They can’t be hurt.  We only breath and sweat and bleed out of habit, because it’s what we remember.  Residual self-image, as you call it.  That’s why it’s harder to hurt you in the suit.”</p>
<p>“I-” he started to object, but then realised Loki was right.  The suit was an extension of his soul, made up his memories, not something that could actually protect him.  He breathed out a sigh of relief.  “Okay.  But you could still hurt somebody else.  And I’m still going to get concerned if you're out of reach.”</p>
<p>“But everywhere is connected to everywhere else,” Sleipnir said.  “That’s how Valhalla works, I can’t be too far away.  If you think about me hard enough, I’ll be close by.”</p>
<p>“There is such a thing as distance though,” Loki countered.  “I felt it when you were being made.  I had to keep you together, and your father was too far away, it pulled at the part of you that came from him.”</p>
<p>“Yes, I understand distance.  It’s what keeps us from sitting on top of each other unless we want to.  But we can fold it.  Like when the food you want in the Hall is on the next table, you just think about it and make that part nearer.  Or like when I’m running, and I make the ground closer together.”</p>
<p>“He’s got a point, husband.  We’ve both toyed with the spatial anomalies in this place.  Remember when I played tricks to show you how it all worked?”</p>
<p>“That was simple things- cups and forks and such.  We’re talking about moving people.”</p>
<p>“No, we’re not.  We’re talking about removing the space between two people so that they can just step from one zone to another."  Loki's eyes brightened as he had an idea.  "Oh, that’s interesting.”  </p>
<p>"What are you thinking?" Tony asked cautiously.</p>
<p>Loki smirked, and then focussed, and reached a hand forward as if reaching for something.  He closed his fingers and lifted up Sleipnir's wooden toy.</p>
<p>"I am Groot!" they said in as gravelly a voice as they could manage.</p>
<p>"That was back at the house," Tony said.</p>
<p>"Yes.  And now it's here.  Come on, you've played this game before."</p>
<p>"Yeah, with things I needed.  But that's how Valhalla provides."</p>
<p>"You don't <i>need</i> anything, my love.  You only desire it.  And Valhalla has never left us wanting, save when we wanted to <i>want."</i></p>
<p>"I suppose, if you can pull a beer from the Hall, you could theoretically reach anywhere.  If we're really talking about the same kind of space bending potential as the te-" he cut himself off, but it was too late.  Loki was staring at him with a terrifying grin.</p>
<p>"We don't need a tesseract!  Oh, this has distinct possibilities."</p>
<p>"You're planning something devious."</p>
<p>"Naturally.  I think I might see if I can retrieve my brother's plate out from under his nose, for a start.  Also, it goes towards solving the riddle of Sleipnir's doorway."</p>
<p>Tony's eyes widened.  "It's another portal.  Of course it is."</p>
<p>"And Sleipnir's right of course.  If they get into any trouble, they'll just have to focus on us and they'll find their way home.  Valhalla always provides."</p>
<p>"That's it, Mother!  We're going to make a portal.  We just need to figure out where to put the other end."</p>
<p>Tony deflated with a sigh.  "See, that's the tricky part.  But maybe…"  he tapped the reactor and brought his helmet up to look over the data he'd collected previously.  Even as he did it, he realised the information was stored in his mind, not an external drive, but hey, it helped him concentrate.  "What if I was focussing on the wrong thing?  What if I was looking for signs of a door that isn't there yet, when I should have been looking for what's on the other side?"</p>
<p>"Daddy, you're so linear!" Sleipnir whined, and pushed the button again so they could see his face.  They didn't like it so much when it was all metallic and echoey.  "If the door is going to be there, it's there for always.  That's why the worlds feel closer together there.  But you just can't see it yet, because you have to do it in order."</p>
<p>Tony dropped to his knees and grinned at them.  "You're a genius.  Loki, our kid is a certified <i>genius!</i>  We can totally do this!"  He hugged Sleipnir tightly, and rolled them together on the sand in his excitement.  "We can all be together again!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>A smutty interlude.  Because they needed one.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sleipnir was a delight, but he took a lot of energy.  Loki was much better at being further away from them now, so he was more than happy to leave them the care of relatives and admirers down in the Hall.  As work on the house progressed, and they drew nearer to the moment of the reunion, Loki decided they needed some personal time to catch up with each other.</p>
<p>They left Sleipnir with Odin, who pulled the child onto his lap and told them tales about their grandmother. Loki smiled, hopeful, and led his husband back outside.</p>
<p>"Are you ready, Man of Iron?"</p>
<p>Tony pulled him into a close embrace.  "I'm always ready for you."</p>
<p>Loki sneered at him.</p>
<p>"Too cheesy? No, you're right, definitely too cheesy."</p>
<p>"I'll forgive you this once.  You can almost pull it off."</p>
<p><i>"Almost?</i>  I don't know whether to be flattered or offended."</p>
<p>"Well, considering you're about to take me home and ravish me, let's pretend I meant it as a compliment."</p>
<p>"Do you really think now is the right time to be baiting me?  When I'm about to haul your beautiful blue ass up into the middle of the sky?"</p>
<p>Loki put a finger under his chin and lifted it to kiss his neck.  "I'd say I like to live dangerously, but…"</p>
<p>"But we're not alive.  Still, if I dropped you somewhere over the forest, it could really hurt."</p>
<p>"Then I better make sure you have the correct motivation to keep holding on.  Now get your suit on, my ardour grows potent and my patience grows thin."</p>
<p>"Now who's being cheesy?"</p>
<p>Loki arched an eyebrow. </p>
<p>"You can totally pull it off though."</p>
<p>"If we don't get going soon, I'll be pulling something off," he said threateningly. </p>
<p>"You know, I don't actually need the suit.  It's a tool, but it's all just a part of me.  Residual self image.  The power to fly comes from my soul.  And I've been practising."</p>
<p>Loki slid his arms over Tony's shoulders and jumped up, hooking his legs over his waist.  "Let's go."</p>
<p>There was no hum, no burst of thrusters.  Tony simply willed himself upwards and launched into the air.  Loki felt the familiar dropping of his stomach as they took off, but it wasn't unpleasant.  He watched Tony's smile broaden the higher they rose, enjoyed the feel of warm flesh instead of unyielding metal.  He took full advantage of the exposed skin of Tony's neck.  “I like this much better,” he said between kisses.</p>
<p>“Me too,” Tony grinned and paused to kiss him back.  "I can feel everything.  All of you."</p>
<p>"Can you feel this?"  Loki tightened his legs over his hips and rocked up hard against his belly.  </p>
<p>“Fuck.”</p>
<p>“That is what I was contemplating, yes,” he said smugly.</p>
<p>“It might be easier to wait until we get home.”</p>
<p>"Are you suggesting you're not up to the challenge?"  Loki’s hand snaked down and began moving rhythmically, feeling a surge and a swell beneath it.  “We’re too far from the Hall for anyone there to see us, and the trees will obscure the view for anyone below.”</p>
<p>Tony licked his lips as Loki began nibbling his ear.  “All good points and well made, but I’m still getting used to going without the suit, and I may have some itty-bitty concerns about maintaining my concentration.”</p>
<p>“I have faith in you.”  Loki assured him.  “Don’t tell me you haven’t fantasied about it.”</p>
<p>Tony caught his eye.  It sparkled.  “Have you?”</p>
<p>“Since our first flight.”</p>
<p>“How am I supposed to say no to that?” he asked with a soft smile.</p>
<p>“You’re not.  Especially not when I point out the logistics of the situation mean you’ll be the one doing the penetrating.”</p>
<p>Tony groaned and seized Loki’s ass and pulled, fabric vanishing beneath his hands.  Loki was naked in his arms.  A moment later, he was naked too.  Science was all well and good, but magic had its uses.</p>
<p>The air was cooler up here without the suit.  He knew now that that made no sense, except that Valhalla had a tendency to live up to expectations unless otherwise instructed.  Not that Tony was going to complain.  His body was already starting to heat up with arousal and the fresh air felt sweet.</p>
<p>Loki kissed him again, with clear intention.  Then he leant back to spit into his hand and pulled Tony’s cock into alignment with his own, stroking them both together.</p>
<p>“Shit, that’s good,” Tony groaned, his head rolling back.  He adjusted his grip to compensate for the change of position, one arm behind Loki's back and the other supporting his most delightful rear. His muscles would never tire from holding Loki, though.  Expectations.  “If you wanna just keep doing that, I’d have no objections at all.”</p>
<p>“That’s not how the fantasy goes.”</p>
<p>“No?  How does it go?”</p>
<p>Loki clung to his shoulders with one arm and bent forward to whisper in his ear.  “Fly with me, Man of Iron.  Take me as high as we can go, and then make love to me at the edge of the world.”</p>
<p>“Loki," Tony breathed, "my God.”  </p>
<p>Their lips were fastened together in a desperate kiss as they ascended, passing through a cloud that left their bodies glistening with tiny water droplets.  Tony didn't go quite as far as the edge of the world, just in case he got so distracted he forgot which way was up.  Which, with the way Loki was working that hand, was a distinct possibility.  But he took them as high as he safely could.  The chill increased, and Loki shivered and grinned, his skin taking on a hint of blue, and crimson licking at the edge of his eyes.</p>
<p>"Okay," Tony gasped, "I hate to be a passion killer but we are going to have to do this super carefully if you don't want me to drop you."</p>
<p>"You wouldn't dare drop me," Loki replied with authority. </p>
<p>"True, and I could probably catch you if I did, but it's going to be extremely distracting once I get inside you and I'm gonna feel a lot better about it if you're holding on tight, okay?"</p>
<p>"As you wish, Man of Iron."  With a final, lingering stroke, he let go and held on to Tony's shoulders with both arms, using them and his thighs to push himself into a higher position and curl his hips forward.  Tony's face screwed up in concentration as he reached down to guide himself in.  Loki had at least had the forethought to magic up the needed lubrication, but it still felt like a juggling act.  Worth it though.  Being joined with his husband high above the clouds was something new and wonderful.  And Loki's face, with his eyes drifting shut and a smile playing at the corners of his mouth was truly beautiful. </p>
<p>They floated there, just looking at each other and breathing, feeling the now familiar joining of their souls along with their bodies.</p>
<p>Loki chuckled softly.  "There are times when I wonder how any of this can be real.  It's so much more happiness than I ever expected."</p>
<p>Tony pressed a kiss to his lips and held him tighter.  "You deserve it.  And if you can't believe that, believe that I have definitely earned it, and I choose to share it with you."</p>
<p>Loki laughed.  "You're so egotistical."</p>
<p>"Well, I did save the world- nay, <i>universe-</i> a lot."</p>
<p>"Shut up and fuck me, mortal."</p>
<p>"Yes, my dearest God."</p>
<p>They kissed again, more thoroughly, hips tilting.  It felt awkward at first, but Tony soon got the hang of how it all worked together.  There was nothing to thrust against except his forearm on Loki's lower back, and his hand on his hip pulling him in tight.  He moved slow and steady, part of his mind still occupied with important matters of balance and altitude, while another part was fully focussed on all the sensations of being buried in Loki's body.  Hot, wet, and, oh God, so tight around him.</p>
<p>But if Loki had been dreaming of flying sex since the beginning, he knew he had to put on a better show than this.</p>
<p>The calculations were so easy these days that they happened almost subconsciously.  He started propelling them forward, bringing himself on top, and Loki's legs tightened around his waist.  Fingers dug into flesh on both sides, seeking and finding purchase.  Loki rocked as he hung, and Tony pressed, and they managed to get a good, strong rhythm going.  </p>
<p>It was completely unlike being in bed, or even on the forest floor where they sometimes indulged.  They were both too busy holding on to explore each other with the usual tender caresses.  Even though Tony could choose to ignore gravity for himself, Loki still had weight and seemed to be affected by it.  He would startle if they dropped suddenly, clutching harder, but he moaned happily at the thrill of it.  </p>
<p>On a sudden whim, Tony spun him in a barrel roll that had him clinging even tighter and swearing in excitement.  </p>
<p>"You like that, huh?"</p>
<p>"It's exhilarating.  Why have you never done this with me before?"</p>
<p>"Because I used to think it was all the suit, and I wasn't completely sure about all the parameters."  His voice came out rough, seductive.  He knew what Loki liked.  "Holding you not only means I have one less repulsor, it changes my whole centre of gravity.  So I had to figure out how to compensate for that.  And once I get going and the g-force kicks in and magnifies everything, you’ll be about three times heavier.  But without that extra force, we could fall out the top of the loop-"</p>
<p>He was cut off by Loki kissing him hungrily again.  "Sexy brain," he gasped against his lips.</p>
<p>Tony let out a muffled laugh and sped up- both his air speed and the movement of his hips.  Loki's hair flicked in the air currents, and the rush of wind grew louder in his ears.  He could feel the solidity of Tony's body under his hands, the exquisite pressure in his rear.  There was a certain possibility of tumbling through space, which set his heart racing, but not enough to panic.  He felt safe.  He had absolute trust in his husband.  </p>
<p>Tony took a moment to consider the best angle and then spun sideways and banked sharply, making good use of the centrifugal force to drive deeper inside.  Loki's body grew hot in his arms.  This would probably be the right time to grab his cock, if he had a spare hand, but he wasn't going to risk it.  He would just have to make it work with what he had.   </p>
<p>He played, rolling and turning, ascending and descending, enjoying a growing sense of confidence.  He wasn't doing much in the way of thrusting anymore, but Loki seemed to have that covered, wriggling and bouncing on his cock between manoeuvres.  The whole experience was new and thrilling in every way.  The more he flew, the more he understood how little he was bound by laws of physics.  With just a small amount of concentration he could make his soul do all kinds of things that would have been impossible in the suit.</p>
<p>Loki groaned, every rush sending him closer to his climax.  "You are rather marvellous at this, you know."</p>
<p>"Oh, I know," Tony replied, still grinning.  "Glad to see you're enjoying it."</p>
<p>"I was an excellent pilot, back on Asgard."</p>
<p>"Really?  You think I could teach you to fly like this?"</p>
<p>"Mmm.  I'm certainly willing to try."</p>
<p>"Think of the fun we could have."</p>
<p>"Indeed.  It significantly increases the possibilities for pranking my brother."</p>
<p>"You're incorrigible.  Always plotting, even now."</p>
<p>"You wouldn't have me any other way."</p>
<p>"Of course not.  You're perfect.  You're my perfect, sexy, scheming," he punctuated each word with a push of his hips, "powerful God of mischief."</p>
<p>Loki made no attempt to restrain himself from whatever noises he wanted to make.  He vaguely managed to spit out a sarcastic "My hero," before Tony spun them again and then flew down on a steep diagonal that felt close enough to falling he was dancing on the edge of fear.  It was unexpectedly arousing.</p>
<p>His body was getting tense.  He caught his lip between his teeth and bit down hard as the pressure built towards bursting point.  It wouldn't take much more.  </p>
<p>The dive had built up their speed significantly and Loki kept twisting his hips, desperate for release.  Tony gripped him tighter than ever and then pulled upward into the first curve of a vertical loop, using the forces to press their bodies together and go deeper still.</p>
<p>For a brief moment, at the top of the loop, gravity lost meaning and they floated.  Loki ground down hard on Tony's cock and felt a small shiver that blossomed into overwhelming pleasure.  He shuddered with it, clinging fast as Tony completed the loop and started soaring back up as high as he could go.</p>
<p>Tony watched Loki continue to unravel as they ascended, the way his brows drew together and his mouth fell open, the way the air pulled his hair back as they rushed through it.  He held him through the spasms, the tremors around his cock drawing him towards his own release.</p>
<p>When he came he forgot everything.  There was only the exquisite release that started in his groin and spread ripples throughout his whole body.  He called out Loki’s name and held onto him as tight as he could.</p>
<p>He was falling.</p>
<p>“Stark!” Loki yelled warningly, and he came back to himself as they hurtled towards the trees below.  Tony gathered his wits and pulled back up before they hit anything.  Loki was breathing hard, tense once more.</p>
<p>Tony grinned at him.  “Come on.  You have to admit that was epic.”</p>
<p>“Up until that last part, I agree whole-heartedly.”</p>
<p>“You know I’ll always look after you.”  </p>
<p>“True.  But I had some less than pleasant experiences of falling in my previous life.”</p>
<p>“Of course.  Sorry.  I’ll do better next time.”</p>
<p>“Next time?”</p>
<p>“Oh, we are totally doing that again.  Flying sex is my new favourite hobby.”</p>
<p>Loki looked skyward.  “I suppose it does have a certain appeal.  But right now, I want you to get me home, so I can do all kinds of unspeakable things to you.”</p>
<p>Tony leaned in and brushed his lips over Loki’s neck.  “Whatever my God commands.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sleipnir had been practising folding space as often as their parents would let them.  They started on the beach, with running first in humanoid form, and then as a mare.  Then one afternoon they took their first leap.  </p>
<p>They focussed their mind on a spot further down the shoreline where Mother and Father waited, and took a good run up, all eight legs carving tiny pieces out of the distance.  Then they pushed off, as if jumping, and squeezed the space around them.  It took effort, but when their hooves touched the sand again, they were exactly where they expected to be.  They neighed in triumph and Mother and Father stroked and congratulated them.  Excited, they decided to do it again, going back the other way. </p>
<p>Another run, another leap- but this one fell far short of where they were aiming.  They shook their mane and huffed, and tried again and again.  It wasn't working.  They stamped in frustration. </p>
<p>Father flew over to join them.  "Hey, kiddo, it's okay.  Good things take trial and error, that's how they get better.  At least you're not setting things on fire or turning your friends into infants.  So, what makes this time different?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir blew through their lips and reluctantly changed back into boy shape.  "I don't know," they grumbled.  "I'm doing it all just the same.  I ran, and I jumped, but I concentrated really hard but nothing happened."</p>
<p>"Well, if you did everything the same, it must be something else that's different.  Think about anything that's changed."</p>
<p>Sleipnir frowned, and then smiled.  "I know!  Wait right here."  They quickly resumed their horse form and started running towards Loki.  When they leapt it was as if a video had skipped forward, and they were suddenly right next to him.  They whinnied and circled him, and ran straight back towards Tony, leaping earlier this time and covering an even greater distance.</p>
<p>Tony slapped their neck proudly.  "You did it! Now change back, I wanna hear how you worked it out."</p>
<p>Sleipnir was still bouncing with excitement when they had two legs again.  "It wasn't me, like you said.  It was you.  You and Mother.  The first time, I was focussing on you, and the second time I was focussing on the place.  But place is relative, so it didn't work.  I needed a soul to lock onto." </p>
<p>"Interesting.  And it's probably easier to lock onto us, because we're your parents.  You're a part of us."</p>
<p>"I should keep practising.  I'm going to go explain it to Mother."</p>
<p>"Okay.  While you do that, I'm going to fly a bit further away.  Think you can do that?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir had already changed again, so they just nodded.</p>
<p>The practise continued successfully- once they had worked out what to do, a few extra meters either way didn't seem to make much difference.  Tony decided the next step was to try it without Sleipnir being able to see him.  He made his way just inside the edge of the forest and hid among the trees.  They still found him.  </p>
<p>He told them to go back to Mother and close their eyes while he went and his somewhere else, without telling them where he was going.  Sleipnir thought this was a brilliant game.  When they explained it to Loki, he was, surprisingly, more cautious.</p>
<p>"You're certain you won't get lost?"</p>
<p>"I'm sure," they stated firmly, so Loki agreed to the trial.</p>
<p>Sleipnir focussed all their thoughts on Father.  His voice, his funny little beard, the way he often smiled.  They thought about his smell and the strength of his arms, and the tangled twists and turns of his mind.  He had a colour, and a shape, and a feeling that was mostly joy and love, with one corner where he kept sorrow and regret, right behind his glowing button.  He was Dad.</p>
<p>Their legs started moving without a clear direction, but they didn't need to get closer, only faster.  They needed to feel the rush and the momentum before they could leap.  </p>
<p>Red and gold.  Concentric circles.  Love and joy and blue.</p>
<p>He leapt.</p>
<p>Father roared and punched the air, and Sleipnir pranced all around him.</p>
<p>"You did it! You found me, first try!  Sleipnir, you're awesome.  I'm so proud of you.  Do you wanna leap back and tell your mom?  I'll take a bit longer to get there."</p>
<p>Sleipnir blew through their lips again and tossed their mane. </p>
<p>"No?  Are we gonna walk?  It's a long way on foot."</p>
<p>They pointed their muzzle towards their own back.  When Tony still seemed confused, they caught his shirt between their teeth and pulled him to their side.</p>
<p>"You want me to…" he fumbled for a word that didn't sound outrageously inappropriate, "let you carry me?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir nodded.</p>
<p>"Okay, that's new," he said cautiously, stroking their back as he considered it.  "But I trust you to know what you're capable of.  Just give me a chance to get settled before you go rushing off."  He half jumped, half flew onto Sleipnir's back.  It felt strange.  He couldn't quite figure out the anatomy of how all those extra legs fitted on, but they didn't make it any more uncomfortable than a regular horse.  After a little shuffling, he managed to tuck his feet against Sleipnir's sides and rested his hands in their unkempt mane.  "Remind me to groom you when we're done leaping about the beach.  You're covered in sand.  Right, I'm good.  Let's go surprise Loki."</p>
<p>It felt like they were just going very fast.  Like zooming off in a Lamborghini- he got that same rush of acceleration in the pit of his stomach.  But it kept getting faster.  Or rather, the world whizzed past in an ever-increasing blur, though Sleipnir's legs seemed to be moving at the same pace.  He felt them gather their strength and leap into the air and then…</p>
<p>Tony was expecting some kind of teleport, maybe to wink in and out of some ethereal plane.  But it was simply a jump.  In the space of time it took for them to leave the ground and land back on it, they covered an immense distance so quickly that all he could see were horizontal lines, but before he had time to finish thinking <i>hyperdrive,</i> they were standing in front of Loki.</p>
<p>Who laughed.  Loudly.</p>
<p>"I take it the experiment was a success.  And I should have known it would have been you to first persuade them to carry you."</p>
<p>"Hey, it was the kid's idea," Tony retorted as he dismounted.  "Gotta admit the speed junkie in me had a blast though.  Smooth ride too."</p>
<p>"Please don't speak about our offspring as though they were a car," Loki chided gently, fussing over Sleipnir all the while.</p>
<p>"Sure.  If you stop petting them like a prize winning mare."</p>
<p>Sleipnir returned to their original form in order to speak.  "Actually, when I'm a mare I kinda like it.  It feels nice."</p>
<p>Loki smirked smugly at Tony, who shrugged.  "It's been a busy day, and I don't know about you, but I think we ought to head home.  I want food."</p>
<p>"Daddy?  Can I just try one more experiment first?"</p>
<p>"What did you have in mind?"</p>
<p>"We worked out I needed a soul to lock onto, and with you guys that's easy.  But if I'm going to find my siblings it's going to be more difficult."</p>
<p>"Your soul is made from ours," Loki mused, "so it's easier to recognise us.  They'll be a step removed."</p>
<p>"Exactly.  So I figure, if we're all hungry, why not go have dinner with Grandfather and Uncle Thor?  I could take you both there."</p>
<p>Loki laughed again.  "I imagine my brother's expression when we all turn up out of nowhere would be rather spectacular.  Let's do it."</p>
<p>"I think you've proved you know what you're doing," Tony agreed.  "I'm game.  But you're gonna have to plan your landing so we don't all end up in the middle of a table."</p>
<p>Sleipnir looked confused for a moment, but then they giggled.  "Valhalla makes space for everyone there already.  I'm sure it'll make space for us too."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Sleipnir's hooves clattered loudly on the wooden floorboards as they landed.</p>
<p>Thor was so startled he fell back and teetered precariously on two legs of his chair, arms flailing, before he regained his balance.  Loki laughed so hard it was only his husband's arms around his waist that prevented him from falling off Sleipnir's back.  Tony helped him to dismount and handed him a goblet and he eventually got his mirth under control.  But by this point, Thor and Odin were chuckling too.</p>
<p>"That's even better than the thing with the snake!" Thor said happily.  "How on earth did you manage it?"</p>
<p>"Easy, brother.  We're not on earth."</p>
<p>Sleipnir, a child once again, answered while he started piling food on a plate.  "I wouldn't say it's easy, because it takes a lot of energy. But it's simple once you figure out how.  It's just a matter of using a connection to fold space and bring two things closer together."</p>
<p>Thor looked thoughtful but then shook his head.  "I think understanding that would take more effort than I'm prepared to put into it right now.  I do recommend the roast pork, nephew."</p>
<p>Sleipnir helped themself to a slice and added some applesauce.  They stepped to the other side of the table without seeming to go through or over it, and sat in a chair that sprung out of nowhere.  Loki magicked up seats for himself and Tony opposite them.</p>
<p>"I see you've been keeping yourselves entertained," Odin remarked.</p>
<p>"It's not just for fun, Grandfather," Sleipnir said seriously, "although it's fun too.  But I'm learning.  I'm almost ready to find Morgan and Narfi.  And Grandmother, of course."</p>
<p>Odin stroked his child's hair.  "I believe my initial concerns about you upending the afterlife were well founded, but I find myself objecting less at the thought of seeing my wife again."</p>
<p>"I'm glad you told me all about her.  It helped me remember what she's like so I can find her."</p>
<p>"So you have real memories of what she was like?"</p>
<p>"They're of what she will be like.  I think.  It's hard to explain it in linear language.  She is, and I am, and sometimes we're near and then far away, but it's all mixed up.  Morgan explains it better."</p>
<p>"I expect so," Thor said.  "She always was good at that kind of thing.  She used to translate Banner for me."</p>
<p>Tony smiled, but Sleipnir could see that it still hurt him.  They decided they needed to fix things as soon as possible. </p>
<p>***</p>
<p>The longhouse was less long and more house. Narfi’s room was simple.  It had a bed, with plenty of blankets to nest in, and a rough log on which to scratch his claws.  Loki said that wolves weren’t that bothered about possessions, and if there was anything else Narfi needed he would let them know when he got here.</p>
<p>Tony set up Morgan's room with a bed, a desk and a chair.  He put a shelf on the wall and then realised he had no idea what she'd like to see on it.  It made his heart ache to think about how much he'd missed, and as he stood there staring at the empty shelf, it reminded him of how little he knew her. </p>
<p>Sleipnir came in and stood beside him.  "Have you done the first carving yet?" they asked.</p>
<p>"What's that?" he asked, coming back to the moment.</p>
<p>"Morgan wants you to teach her to carve.  She's sort of an artist.  You do projects together and all the shelves fill up with little statues of heroes.”</p>
<p>Tony held out an arm and Sleipnir leaned into his side.  “Which one comes first?”</p>
<p>“I have no idea.”</p>
<p>“Hm." He pondered, considering all they had achieved and all they were about to do.  "You know what, I think I do.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sleipnir's hooves thundered over the mountain.  Loki rode on their back, hair and cloak flying in the wind, eyes alight with excitement.  Above them, barely managing to keep pace, Tony flew in his armour once more.  </p>
<p>They soon reached their destination, a wide open meadow in the centre of which stood a shrine.  Loki leapt from Sleipnir's back and knelt in front of the statue of his mother, Frigga.  She was surrounded by a multitude of gifts and offerings, and three smaller statues representing her husband and sons.</p>
<p>Tony landed beside them and tapped his chest to remove his armour out of habit.  Sleipnir changed back into a boy at the same time. </p>
<p>"Okay.  We're here.  Now what?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir touched the statue.  "I remember her.  She loves me too."</p>
<p>"Of course she does," Loki agreed.  "You're very loveable.  Are you ready to find her?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir frowned.  "It's very far away.  There's emptiness in between."</p>
<p>Tony sat on the ground and pulled Sleipnir into his lap, holding them close.  "That feeling you've got going on right there, that's what we mean when we say scared."</p>
<p>"I don't like it," they admitted, clutching at his tee shirt and pressing their face to the light that shone through it.</p>
<p>"That's okay.  You're not meant to.  It's designed to make you be careful.  Sometimes it makes you want to run away from something that could hurt you, and other times it makes you want to freeze."</p>
<p>"I think this is the freezy kind.  Can I just stay here for a while?"</p>
<p>"As long as you like," Tony said, and Loki came over to join the cuddle. </p>
<p>"What are you afraid of?" he asked.  "You've often said that you're sure it will work.  You'll bring us all back together."</p>
<p>"I know.  And it will.  I can remember that much.  But I also know that it's going to be hard.  I can't see why, exactly, except that I have to go on my own, and I don't know what it looks like, and-" they broke off into a sob.  "Being scared is horrible!"</p>
<p>Tony held them tighter, and rocked them, while Loki kissed and stroked their hair.</p>
<p>"We know, love.  Your father and I have both been scared many times.  It's not nice.  But you know you'll get through it."</p>
<p>"In the meantime, we're just going to stay right here loving you until you feel brave enough to move."</p>
<p>They cried loud and woefully, a sound that nearly broke their parent's hearts.  Sleipnir had never been this distraught.  Loki conjured up a handkerchief, and then another when the first became drenched.  At last the storm subsided, and Sleipnir, still trembling, sniffed and raised their head.</p>
<p>"I feel better now.  But I still don't want to go yet."</p>
<p>"That's fine, dear one," Loki told them.  "How about a snack?  I've brought provisions."  He pulled a small leather bag out from under his cloak and started taking out fruit and cheese, saving the buns they liked best for last.</p>
<p>Tony smiled.  "Practical affection?"</p>
<p>"Exactly."</p>
<p>Sleipnir already seemed to revive a little as he bit into a sweet bun.  They made something of a picnic of it, and Loki set a bright red apple next to the shrine.</p>
<p>"You don't need to do that, you know," Sleipnir told him.  "Soon you can give her a real one."</p>
<p>"Thank you, Sleipnir, but you needn't rush yourself."</p>
<p>"It's okay.  I mean, it's still scary, but I'm going to do it anyway."</p>
<p>"That's called being brave, kiddo," Tony said.  "I had to do that a lot when I was alive.  At least you already know how it's going to turn out."</p>
<p>"If it helps, you can talk to us about it.  Take it step by step so you know what's coming."</p>
<p>Sleipnir nodded.  "Okay.  Well, first I have to eat a lot.  Because yummy.  Then, when I'm feeling properly brave, I need to start running.  And I need to focus on where I'm going- or rather, who I'm going to see.  Their shape and colour and feel."</p>
<p>"Is that how you found me, when I was hiding?" Tony asked.</p>
<p>"Yes.  You're red circles and smiles and hugs.  You're easy to find."</p>
<p>"What about me?" Loki asked curiously.  "What shape am I?"</p>
<p>"More pointy.  But also curly and green.  You're magic and home.  Both of you have gold in you, which is why I'm gold too."</p>
<p>"Does everyone have a shape and a colour to you?"</p>
<p>They frowned again.  "You mean, you don't see that either?"</p>
<p>"I can imagine, get a sense of an aura, but nothing tangible."</p>
<p>"Huh," they replied, sounding just like their dad.  "Just me then.  Cool.  Well, Grandfather is a great big ball of white light, and Lagertha is all straight blue lines.  Uncle Thor is just thunder, obviously, and Grandmother is round like Grandfather, but more green and gold like you.  Arne and Sten are both grey and square and solid.  Revna is dark and swirly.  Kare is my favourite friend though; he's warm and soft like furs and firelight.  Like Narfi, but not quite.  And Morgan is purple and gold like us.  She's a very twisty turny shape, but otherwise she's a lot like you, Dad.  I think she's the one I need to focus on first."</p>
<p>"Why is that?" Tony asked.</p>
<p>"Because she stands out the most.  Plus, she's made from you, like I am, so she'll be easier to find."</p>
<p>"Okay, I need you to explain that last part.  Because we're just souls now, it's not like we even share genetic material anymore.  She wasn't made the same way you were."</p>
<p>"I don't know about that, but I do know there's two kinds of family.  There's the kind that grows like a tree from the same trunk, like Thor and Odin, or you and me.  Then there's the kind that start separate but wind together, like you and mother.  Or Narfi.  Neither kind is really better or stronger than the other, but the tree kind is easier to see and I'm going to need things strong and simple when I go… across."</p>
<p>"It's the crossing part that scares you, isn't it?"</p>
<p>"It's blank.  Hard to see.  And-" their lip quivered, but they swallowed and tried again.  "There's nobody else there.  Not at all."</p>
<p>"Oh, kiddo, no wonder you got scared.  You've never had to be alone before."</p>
<p>"I could come with you," Loki suggested. </p>
<p>"That's not how it works."</p>
<p>"Why not?"</p>
<p>"It's just something that I need to do on my own.  If I take you with me, I'll be thinking of you, and I won't go anywhere."</p>
<p>"It worked when we went to see Thor."</p>
<p>"That's different.  Valhalla's all one piece.  But this is different.  I have to go, and I have to concentrate really hard, and I need to do it without getting confused."</p>
<p>"Very well.  But this feeling- it isn't something that you remembered until now, either, is it?" </p>
<p>They shook their head.  "It's… it's something I had to learn by doing.  Like walking.  But there's something weird about it.  I can remember it, but I don't feel it."</p>
<p>"You might have to explain that to us linear people," Tony promoted.</p>
<p>They thought for a minute, biting and chewing.  "You do things one at a time.  You're here by the shrine now, and before that you were in the Hall and before that by the beach.  But I'm in all of those places, with you, all at once.  Because of eternity."</p>
<p>"But you still have to learn things- how does that work?"</p>
<p>"It just does.  There's a smaller me and a bigger me, and the bigger I am the more stuff I can do.  I can kind of focus in on one point and be there, or go to some when else."</p>
<p>"So there must be some kind of timeline, so you can move back and forth along it."</p>
<p>Sleipnir just did his frown of concentration again.  "Morgan explains it better."</p>
<p>"So I'll ask her when she gets here," he grinned.</p>
<p>"Of course, that's why she explains it.  Anyway, when I remember stuff, I can feel just the same as I do when I'm there.  Like the excitement when I play with my friends, or the fuzzy in Grandfather's beard.  I can't feel the feeling of the between though.  It's like trying to drink water from an empty cup."</p>
<p>"Maybe it's because where you're going isn't part of Valhalla," Loki suggested.  "You can travel throughout eternity, but if you have to go through a portal that's outside Valhalla, then it's a separate universe.  So you can't just link up with and visit your bigger self like you do here."</p>
<p>"I see.  That makes sense actually.  And it makes it less scary."</p>
<p>"How so?"</p>
<p>"Because if I can't visit there, it won't be there always.  The alone part will be… what's the word?"</p>
<p>"Temporary.  It only lasts for a fixed time, and then it's finished and you won't have to do it again."</p>
<p>"Yes.  Which would be bad if it was a good thing, but is a much better way for something that's scary."  He heaved a huge sigh.  "Okay.  I think I'm ready."</p>
<p>"I need one more hug, first," Loki said.</p>
<p>Tony agreed and they all held each other close.  Sleipnir changed in the middle of the cuddle, and so their parents switched to light kisses and strokes of their mane.</p>
<p>Sleipnir blew through their lips loudly, as if telling them to let go so they could get a move on.  As soon as their path was clear they started running in a wide circle around the meadow.  They spiralled inwards, faster and faster until they were running right at the statues and then leapt and vanished.</p>
<p>Loki fell to his knees, fighting for breath.  Tony felt giddy too, but kept it together enough to grab Loki and hold on.</p>
<p>"It's okay, love, it's okay," he whispered.  "They're coming back.  We know that."</p>
<p>"I feel like a part of me has been ripped away!" Loki gasped.</p>
<p>"It has.  I feel it too.  Sleipnir's made out of our souls.  They took a piece of us with them."</p>
<p>"It hurts."</p>
<p>"I know.  I'm here.  Just like when they born, remember?  It's like that.  They're getting further away from you, but it's temporary this time.  Hold on."</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Sleipnir was lost.  </p>
<p>They weren't in Valhalla anymore.  They weren't anywhere. </p>
<p>It was dark and empty.  </p>
<p>Silent.</p>
<p>They tried to stamp their hooves, but there was no ground.  They tried to call out but there was no air to carry the sound.</p>
<p>They were looking for something. </p>
<p>Mother? </p>
<p>Mother wasn't there, but they could feel him, reaching towards them, a ghost of a thread like the cord that once connected them to him.  Their instinct was to grasp it, but they knew it was something else they were looking for. </p>
<p>How could they find anything in this darkness?</p>
<p>If Daddy was here, he could light the way with his glowing button.  Daddy was calling, waiting, just like always.</p>
<p>There was no always in this place.  Sleipnir couldn't find themself anywhere but this one moment.  It stretched them long and thin.  Was this what it was like to be linear?</p>
<p>They never quite understood it- going from one thing to the next all in order.  There was so much to explore, so many wonderful moments in which to dwell.  Sandcastles and races, drinking and brawls, Daddy's smile when they first said his name and the comfort of Mother's breast.</p>
<p>They could see the way to those things.  It was like a kind of path.  Or a river, flowing towards home.  They could easily jump into that stream and it would take them straight back. </p>
<p>Back.</p>
<p>Backwards. </p>
<p>Forwards. </p>
<p>There were two ways, two ends of the line, downstream and upstream.</p>
<p>If they went back like this, it would be empty handed.  They needed something else.  What was it?</p>
<p>No.</p>
<p><i>Who</i> was it?</p>
<p>Someone gold.  Gold and purple and a wobbly circle.  Or some circles.  </p>
<p>They tried desperately to focus.  The circles weren't inside each other like Daddy's light.  They were in a line.  Like numbers.</p>
<p>Sleipnir always struggled with numbers.  It was hard to keep them in order, they kept jumping about.  Mother said it was because they were non-linear.  Some numbers had shapes that were easy.  Four had corners, and four and four was legs which made sense.  Nine was good- three one way and three another- and sixty-four.  Their mind was filling up with them now, and it was dizzying.  The digits seemed to dance in the air, taunting them. </p>
<p>Was this what Grandfather felt like when he first saw the runes?</p>
<p>Three one way and three another.  That was important. </p>
<p>Three circles.</p>
<p>Three thousand. </p>
<p>It was a shining, golden thread, like the one that connected them to Mother, except this one connected Daddy and someone else.</p>
<p>It was a branch from a familiar golden tree.</p>
<p>Morgan.</p>
<p>Sister. </p>
<p>They grasped it, clung to it.  One end reached back the way they came, and the other led off forward into the unknown.</p>
<p>Their legs started galloping. </p>
<p>There was nowhere to put their hooves, no way to leap.  </p>
<p>It was more like sliding.</p>
<p>When they came into a new place, full of light, it was like being born all over again.  And just as exhausting. </p>
<p>But she smiled.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Morgan sat by Odin's shrine in the middle of the meadow, plucking at the grass, and brooding in her thoughts.  With a total lack of reverence her father would have been proud of, she leaned on Odin's side so she could glare at Thor.</p>
<p>Stupid Norse deity.</p>
<p>Morgan Stark had believed in the Gods.  Not like everyone else believed in them- those who had seen the footage and been reliably convinced they were real- she had developed an actual faith.</p>
<p>With her father gone, the rest of the heroes seemed to feel some responsibility for her. She would get regular visits from all of them, and beg for stories.  All the ones who didn't disappear off into space for a few years, that is.  So she did her research and tried to fill in the gaps.  Thor became a bit of an obsession.  She begged her mom to visit New Asgard, and she made friends there and got to know their way of life.  There were gaps and discrepancies between the legends she found in libraries and on the internet, and the real people who remembered them, but that was a riddle she loved to ponder.  She wondered if, in a thousand years, there would be myths about her father too.</p>
<p>When Thor came back, he was almost a disappointment.  He wasn't quite as large as she imagined, and with his hair and beard trimmed short he was fairly ordinary.  But then he'd picked her up in one arm as if she were five years old again, and laughed at how she'd grown (it had been two whole years!), and asked if she had any spectacular inventions yet.</p>
<p>She told him she was working on it.</p>
<p>He came and went in between his adventures, always there to protect earth when they needed him.  He didn't seem to notice that she kept growing up in his absence.  He was completely oblivious to the crush that started in her teenage years and never seemed like wane, no matter how much she wished it would.  Even when she fought at his side, desperate to prove her strength and intelligence, keeping up the lighthearted banter in the face of overwhelming odds, he still just referred to her as "Daughter of Iron" and gave her a paternal grin.</p>
<p>There never was anyone else.  She tried, but apparently most people didn't want to be the consolation prize.  The phrase "I promise to love and to cherish unless the God of Thunder turns up and notices I'm a woman now" didn't make for a good marriage vow.</p>
<p>And so here she was, stuck in Viking heaven, cut off from her home and her family for the love of a deity who never knew just how much he meant to her.</p>
<p>Sort of.  Because apparently this wasn't the only Viking heaven, and he wasn't even here, and probably would never get here, according to Frigga, because he was Asgardian and unlikely to die except in battle.  </p>
<p>It wasn't all bad- it felt a lot like New Asgard, and she liked it there.  Frigga had taken her under her wing- out of sympathy at first, but then they had become good friends.  Morgan had confessed her feelings to her, and Frigga had understood.  Odin had been the same, at first, she said.</p>
<p>So Morgan made the best of it, and on good days she enjoyed her afterlife, and on bad days she visited the shrine and sulked and dreamed of trying to find a way out of there.</p>
<p>Then completely out of the blue, there was an eight legged horse standing in front of her.  Its legs were trembling, and it was breathing hard.  It had a white coat, and a dark mane, and deep, dark eyes.  </p>
<p>She knew all the myths.  She also knew that most of them weren't real, including this one.  Still… "Sleipnir?" she breathed, standing up for a better look.  "How… are you lost?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir shook their head.  They wanted nothing more than to be a child so they could curl up into a ball and stop hurting, but they didn't have the energy even for that.  Mother and Daddy were still far away, and it made them ache.</p>
<p>Still, at least they weren't alone now.  Their sister was here.  She was tall, and strong, and dressed in Asgardian boots and a loose, purple dress.  She looked at him through a wild tumble of brown curls, her head tilted to one side curiously.  Apparently the sudden appearance of a eight legged horse didn't shock her as much as it did Uncle Thor.  </p>
<p>She reached out and ran a hand through their mane.  "I feel like I know you."</p>
<p>Sleipnir nodded.</p>
<p>"So you understand me then?"</p>
<p>They nodded again.</p>
<p>"Like my friend Narfi.  He doesn't talk much either, at least, not in words."</p>
<p>They stamped and nodded enthusiastically. </p>
<p>"You know him?"</p>
<p>It was very frustrating not being able to talk.  They stood in a meadow, almost identical to the one they just left, but at the shrine here the statues of Grandmother and Grandfather were the other way around.  They stepped forward and touched their nose to the figure of Loki.</p>
<p>"That's right.  He's Loki's son."  Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully.  "Do you want to go see him?  Is that why you're here?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir tried to do yes and no, but it didn't turn out well, so Morgan just laughed.  They tried indicating Grandmother.  She would know what to do. </p>
<p>"Good idea.  Especially as Frigga and Narfi are often found together.  Come with me, I'll take you to them."</p>
<p>She kept a hand on their neck and they started walking together, her fingers twisting in their mane again.  They felt themselves growing stronger from the physical expression of her affection.  </p>
<p>Instead of being surrounded by mountains, this meadow was more open.  In the fields around there were longhouses, a lot like home.  Morgan was walking towards one that stood out from others only by the intricate runes on the walls.</p>
<p>Sleipnir didn't try to go fast.  They were enjoying this moment, just being with their sister, experiencing something new.  And they were still very tired.</p>
<p>She didn't say much, which was unusual.  She was a lot like Daddy in that respect.  But if she was quiet, it meant she was thinking, so they left her to it.</p>
<p>When they were both ready, they arrived at the house, and Morgan knocked on the door.  A gentle voice invited her in.</p>
<p>She opened the door.  "I think it might be better if you come outside," she suggested.</p>
<p>An elegant woman with golden braids came to the doorway and looked at Sleipnir.  Her eyes went wide, her mouth fell open and she gasped and threw her arms around their neck.  "You found us!  I prayed so hard, but I wasn't sure if you'd hear me.  I've missed you all so much."  She leaned back and held their face, looking into their eyes.  "Wait… you're not Loki, are you?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir shook their head slowly. </p>
<p>"But you feel… I can sense him in you.  You feel so familiar.  Morgan, where did you find this soul?"</p>
<p>"They just appeared, right in front of me.   And I know it sounds strange, but I feel like I know them too."</p>
<p>"Who are you?" Frigga asked, and Sleipnir felt the magic pour into them, like Mother's milk, restoring their strength to fullness once again.  It was easy to change back then, and the first thing they did was grab Grandmother's waist and hold her tight.</p>
<p>"I'm your grandchild!  Well, one of them, anyway."</p>
<p>"I…" she was only flustered for a moment, before she embraced them back.  "You're Loki's?"</p>
<p>"Yes!  Mother's very excited to see you again, he misses you too."</p>
<p>"What's your name, dear one?"</p>
<p>"Sleipnir," Morgan whispered.</p>
<p>"Yes!" they cried happily.  "You do remember me!"</p>
<p>"I- not exactly.  It was something I read once, about Loki and a horse- but Frigga said it was all nonsense."</p>
<p>"There's stories about me here?"</p>
<p>"Not here.  When I was alive."</p>
<p>"Well, that explains it.  I never could get to grips with linear time."</p>
<p>Their statement seemed to confuse her even more.</p>
<p>"Well, Sleipnir, I think you should come inside, we have a lot to catch up on," Frigga suggested.  "You might need to start at the beginning."</p>
<p>"I'll try.  Is my brother here, too?  Morgan said he stays with you."</p>
<p>"Narfi?  Yes.  Come in and meet him."</p>
<p>Sleipnir was hardly through the door when Narfi bounded up to them and knocked them to the ground.  Sleipnir laughed loudly, patting him and burying their face in his fur.  "It's good to see you, too, brother."</p>
<p>Narfi yapped excitedly.</p>
<p>"I know!  I'll take you to Mother, soon, I promise.  But I need to take a break first.  Travelling between afterlives is hard work, you know."</p>
<p>Morgan edged back towards the door.  "I should leave you to it.  This is clearly a thing-"</p>
<p>"No!" Sleipnir shouted and jumped up to grab her.  "I need you too!"</p>
<p>She knelt down to look them in the eye.  "Why?  Who are you?  Why do I feel so happy and so sad when I look at you?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir recognised her feelings; they felt like Daddy.  They knew they had to be gentle.  "Because we're family too.  You're my sister."</p>
<p>She shook her head.  "You can't be.  I'm an only child."</p>
<p>"You were.  But things are different in Valhalla.  You know me.  Or at least, you know part of me.  I'm not explaining this well."</p>
<p>"I'll be honest, I've heard better," she said.</p>
<p>They chuckled.  "You sound like Daddy."</p>
<p>She caught her lower lip between her teeth and fought back a sob.  She knew.  "He's in Valhalla?"</p>
<p>"Mm-hm.  And I'm going to take you to see him.  We can all be a family together."</p>
<p>Morgan looked from Sleipnir to Narfi and back again.  Then her brows creased in confusion.  "Hang on, your mother is Loki and your father is my dad?"</p>
<p>"Yes.  That's right."</p>
<p>"But… aren't they enemies?"</p>
<p>"No, silly, they're married.  They were only enemies when they were alive.  You should hear the story, it's my favourite.  Mother throws Daddy out the window, but it's okay because he can fly."</p>
<p>"I remember.  He used to tell it to me sometimes, when I was very small."  She cupped their cheek.  "I can see him in you.  My memories of him were always so hazy, but his face was everywhere.  He was never forgotten.  He saved so many people."</p>
<p>"When we get to Valhalla, there'll be lots of new memories."</p>
<p>Her eyes brightened with hope.  "When can we go?"</p>
<p>Sleipnir thought about it.  They were in a different kind of eternity here- they couldn't feel their memories from home, but they could feel their way around their time here.  They knew this wasn't going to be their only visit, because Grandfather was going to come here too, and they would have so much fun searching and reuniting families- they forced themself back to this moment.  The joy of meeting Morgan and Narfi and Grandmother. </p>
<p>"We're going to have dinner.  Because sliding between places takes a lot of energy, and Grandmother wants me to keep my strength up."</p>
<p>"You're right about that, but how do you know?" Frigga asked.</p>
<p>"I remember.  Daddy thinks it's because I never lived inside of time, my brain doesn't have to do things in the same order like everyone else."</p>
<p>"Well, that's interesting."</p>
<p>"Can you magic up food like Mother does?"</p>
<p>"Of course.  I was the one who taught him magic, after all."</p>
<p>"He's trying to teach me too, but I don't really need it.  Apart from the shape shifting, of course."</p>
<p>Frigga went about gathering plates and passing out food.  "So you were born in Valhalla?" she asked as they started to eat.</p>
<p>"Mm-hm.  Daddy took a piece of his soul and put it in Mother, and he took a piece of his too and tied them together and that grew into me.  Grandfather was worried everyone was going to start doing it, but Mother says it's too difficult for anyone else.  I think maybe Daddy could, now that he knows how it works, but he's not going to.  Uncle Thor definitely couldn't!" They laughed at the thought.</p>
<p>"Thor is there too?"</p>
<p>"Of course!"</p>
<p>They all continued swapping tales until the meal was over and they felt better acquainted.  Then Sleipnir stood up.  </p>
<p>"I'll have to change back into a mare to make the journey.  I won't be able to talk then, so I better explain first.  You all need to ride on my back.  You don't need to worry about being heavy, because I'm made of iron like Daddy and I'm very strong.  There'll be plenty of room too."  They went on to explain the running and leaping, and Morgan's eyes sparked with interest.  "I got a bit lost on the way here, but going home will be much easier because I know the way now.  Mother and Daddy are waiting for us on the other side.  Are you ready?"</p>
<p>It felt wonderful to be carrying the rest of their family.  Narfi sat awkwardly in the middle, leaning his front legs on Morgan's back while Frigga supported him from behind.  Sleipnir decided they would have to teach him how to shape shift, but it would be later.  They wanted very much to get home.</p>
<p>They started running.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you everyone, I finally made it to the end.<br/>I hope it is worth the wait.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The waiting was terrible.  Tony wished he could do Sleipnir's thing and just skip ahead to the part where they came back.  He was scared- his mind knew that the mission was going to be a success, but his heart couldn't help but feel an edge of doubt.  He sat and waited, hoping as much as he dared while he cradled a trembling Loki in his arms.</p><p>"They're coming back.  They're coming back," he muttered over and over like a litany.</p><p>Tony could feel the hole where a piece of his soul was missing.  He knew Loki felt it worse.  Having carried them in his womb, their bond was more physical- even when Sleipnir was a baby, it had been difficult for Loki to be too far away from them.  And now they had left Valhalla completely and it was as if his God had been wounded.</p><p>Tony couldn't bear just sitting anymore, but he couldn't let go of Loki either.  "Come on Elsa, we need to do something.  Let's take a walk."</p><p>"We can't!  Sleipnir won't know where we've gone!" </p><p>Tony cupped his cheek.  There was a wildness in his eyes, a frantic fear that showed he was close to breaking point.  He knew that Loki's mental health had been a fragile thing in life, he'd been through too much not to be affected by it.  But Tony had been there too, and he understood.  </p><p>"It's okay.  I'm worried too.  But Sleipnir can find us anywhere, remember?  We did all those tests.  Now, let's get on our feet and try moving.  Burn off some of the excess adrenaline."</p><p>He had to keep supporting Loki as they stood, but they managed to get up.  Loki leaned into him heavily and they began to trudge along.  "We'll stay close to the shrine, so we'll see when they come back," Tony said, finding himself falling in Sleipnir's speech patterns, as if he was sure of how events would pan out.  It was reassuring to look at it that way.</p><p>"Remember when Narfi caught us having sex in the woods?" he said, looking for a way to distract Loki, to give him hope.</p><p>He nodded.  "How could I forget?"</p><p>"You crawled up to him naked."</p><p>"He's a wolf, he's not bothered about clothes.  You'll get used to it."</p><p>"Are you planning on spending more time naked around our children?  Because I might find that confusing."</p><p>"No.  I mean you'll get to Narfi's way of thinking.  When they all come back."</p><p>Tony sighed.  "It's really happening, isn't it?  We get to see all our children together."</p><p>"Yes," Loki said with a deep breath.  "It's a wonderful thing.  So why do I feel like my stomach is trying to turn itself inside out?"</p><p>"That would be excitement and nerves.  I've got the same feeling."</p><p>Loki smiled.  "Do you know, it did a similar thing when we first met?"</p><p>Tony laughed.  "Really?  I always thought you were faking."</p><p>"You probably wouldn't have been able to do me any significant harm.  But it was fun to pretend.  Even so.  You were always rather magnificent.  So sure of yourself, aiming your puny weapons at me."</p><p>"Hey, the Mark VI was an early model, but it had <i>missiles!</i>  Big ones, that could take out a tank, and little tiny ones that could get under your skin and then- <i>boom!"</i></p><p>Loki chuckled.  "I know, you love all your toys."</p><p>"Making things explode is fun," Tony insisted.</p><p>"Agreed.  Unfortunately there's not much to blow up here, apart from Father's Hall, and I don't think he'd be too pleased about that."</p><p>"I need to make some new targets so we can play.  It'll be fun with the kids, too."</p><p>"Yes, let's blow stuff up with the kids.  Sounds like the perfect family activity."</p><p>"You know, you're probably the only person I know who could say that without sounding sarcastic."</p><p>"We are an usual family."</p><p>"But we're a family.  And we'll be together again, very soon."</p><p>They stopped and turned towards each other.  "They're coming back," Loki said with a smile.</p><p>"I know."</p><p>"No, I mean, now.  Look!"  He pointed to the statue, just as a loud whinny broke through the air, and then Sleipnir was landing in the long grass of the meadow.  They hadn't come back alone.</p><p>Tony couldn't move.  Couldn't speak.  He recognised Frigga from her statue, and there was a wolf leaping from Sleipnir's back and running straight at Loki, and there was a young lady… </p><p>She stared at him for a moment, and he stared back.  Her hair was long, and pulled back into a loose ponytail with curls dangling around her cheeks.  Her face was older, but he recognised her eyes.  Wide eyes, blinking and brimming with tears.  She twisted her fingers in Sleipnir's mane, and they turned their head to nudge her into action.  </p><p>Then she smiled.  Tony felt like his heart was exploding.  </p><p>"Daddy!"  She called, and jumped down to run towards him.  She seemed to get smaller as she came closer, and he dropped down on one to catch her as she barrelled into him.  "Daddy, Daddy, I missed you so much!"</p><p>He held her tight, his little girl back in his arms as if they'd never been apart.  "I missed you too, sweetheart.  I'm so sorry I had to go away."</p><p>She clung to him so tightly he thought she might never let go.  In eternity, they could be holding each other like this forever.  She buried her face in his neck, and he pressed a kiss into her hair.  "It's okay," he whispered.  "I'm here now.  I love you.  Three thousand."</p><p>She whimpered and clung tighter.  "Three thousand."</p><p>After a few breaths, something inside seemed to settle, and they let go enough to look at each other.  She frowned.  "How did you get so big?"</p><p>"I'm as big as you need me to be.  But right now, I think you just needed to be small.  Apparently our souls manifest some kind of residual self image."</p><p>"Like in the Matrix?" she smiled.</p><p>"Oh God, yes! At last, someone who'll understand all my movie references!"</p><p>"Oh!  Shit, yes, I missed that too."</p><p>Tony gaped at her, laughing.  </p><p>"Yeah, I know, grown-up words, but technically I <i>am</i> a grown-up now, even if hugging you makes me feel like a kid again."</p><p>"I know, I'll get used to it.  Hey, you wanna meet your step-mom?"</p><p>She giggled.  "Sleipnir told me you got married.  I couldn't believe it."</p><p>"Yeah, we surprised a lot of people.  But he's awesome, you'll like him."</p><p>Loki was rolling around on the ground with Narfi, face and fingers buried in fur and laughing with the sheer joy of it.  Frigga watched their reunion while waiting beside Sleipnir, with the patience of a queen.  Narfi noticed everyone's attention was on them and made a small noise.  Loki looked up.</p><p>"Mother?"</p><p>"Yes, my son.  Not quite in the flesh, but as close-" she was cut off and gave a delicate grunt as Loki grabbed her with the same enthusiasm that Morgan had shown.  She returned his embrace, and then he fell back on bended knee. </p><p>"Mother, will you forgive me?"</p><p>"There's nothing to forgive, son."</p><p>"But I said such things-"</p><p>"Shhh," she stroked his hair and lifted his chin.  "None of that matters now.  I'm here."  </p><p>Loki leaned his cheek into her hand.  "You are.  And I'm so glad of it."</p><p>She raised him back to his feet.  "I've your offspring to thank for it.  Congratulations, by the way.  A very fine creature."</p><p>Loki went to lean his face against Sleipnir's, and stroke their mane.  He felt them trembling.  "My dear child, thank you.  I can see you're exhausted.  Take strength from me, and become a child once more, and I will carry you in my arms like a babe."</p><p>Sleipnir huffed, and shifted, and Loki caught them up before they collapsed. </p><p>"I missed you, Mother."</p><p>"I missed you too.  But I'm so very grateful."</p><p>"I'm glad we're all back together.  It feels right, now.  Come on, meet Morgan, she's amazing!"</p><p>Morgan still sat on Tony's lap in the grass, leaning on his shoulder and spreading her fingers over the light in his chest.  She narrowed her eyes at Loki. </p><p>"You're supposed to be the bad guy," she said.</p><p>"I'm afraid it's never quite that simple," he replied.  "I've done many things, some good and some bad.  And I've had bad things done to me, too."</p><p>"I'm a superhero too, you know.  I've fought stronger villains than you."</p><p>"I don't doubt it.  From what my brother says, you've had many mighty battles."</p><p>She pouted.  "Don't patronise me.  I may look small right now, but I'm not going to let you do anything to hurt my daddy!  I don't care what that tricksy mind of yours is plotting.  I'll-" she faltered, spluttering, and covered her mouth.  </p><p>Loki's face was lined with concern, and it was only when he saw it that Tony realised Morgan was actually laughing.</p><p>"Oh, come on, sweetheart, that's not nice.  Play fair."</p><p>She laughed even louder.  "Play fair?  <i>Play fair?</i>  You married Loki, Dad.  The God of Mischief.  You can't do that and expect any kind of fair play."</p><p>Loki was grinning.</p><p>Tony sighed.  "Sure.  Okay.  I can see you two are gonna get along just fine."</p><p>"It is a great honour to meet you, Daughter of Iron," Loki said with a grand bow- which he managed most elegantly considering he still had Sleipnir balanced on one hip. </p><p>"Ugh.  Don't.  That's what Thor calls me.  I have a name, Morgan, please feel free to use it.  I don't expect formality from the guy who's…" she glanced at Sleipnir, "boinking my dad."</p><p>Tony gave a pained look.</p><p>Loki continued to grin.  "Oh yes, we're going to get along famously."</p><p>"As delightful as this is, perhaps we could start moving towards the Hall of the Dead," Frigga suggested. "I'm anxious to see my husband and other son again."</p><p>"It's over the mountain," Sleipnir said.  "I'd take you, but I don't think I can carry you all at once."</p><p>Narfi nudged his face at Loki's leg.  They looked at him while he made a series of sounds and expressions.  Sleipnir beamed.  "Of course!  I don't know how I forgot it.  Do you think you can remember how?"</p><p>He nodded once.</p><p>"Good.  Then I'll carry Grandmother.  Daddy and Morgan can fly, and Daddy can carry mother."</p><p>"Okay, for those of us here who don't understand wolf-speak, although clearly that's something I need to learn, can you explain what's going on?" Tony asked.</p><p>"I'm going to teach Narfi how to run like me.  And you're going to show Morgan how to find her flying armour."</p><p>"Sleipnir, I don't have my armour here," Morgan said.  "It's back on Midgard."</p><p>"But this is Valhalla," Tony told her with a smile.  "Every great warrior comes with their weapons and armour.  Let's see now."  He stood her up and looked her up and down.  "If I remember right, it should be right about… here."  He tapped her chest, just above her heart, and a pale glow shone through her dress.</p><p>She quickly tugged at her neckline and gaped at it.  "Dad!  It's my first suit!"</p><p>"Exactly!  Wait, first suit?  That thing was supposed to grow with you."</p><p>"And it did.  But eventually, it ran out of room for all the upgrades, and I had to build something new from scratch.  I mean, obviously a lot of your design features carried over, and Peter had a few great ideas, too, but I wanted something that was all my own."</p><p>"That's my girl," he said proudly.  "We're going to have to compare notes."</p><p>"If you can keep up.  Technology made a lot of advances while you were busy knocking up a deity."</p><p>"I-"</p><p>Loki was chuckling quietly.  "You're right, Sleipnir, she is amazing."</p><p>"Told you," they said.</p><p>"It's an honour to meet you at last, Mr. Stark," Frigga said formally.</p><p>He stood and inclined his head.  "The honour is mine, your highness."</p><p>"Don't feign subservience with me, Man of Iron.  I know your daughter too well.  I'm intrigued to get to know the husband that Loki chose, and the father of my grandchild."</p><p>"And I'm intrigued to get to know the woman who had the strength of character to raise Loki and Thor together.  For that feat alone, you must be the greatest of all the Gods."</p><p>Frigga smiled softly and whispered to Loki, "I can see why you chose him."</p><p>"I'm ready to go now," Sleipnir announced, and slid to the ground. </p><p>"Right," Tony said.  "Morgan, suit up."</p><p>He watched with great pride as she tapped her reactor and the nanobots poured over her.  Except they weren't nanobots, they were a part of her soul, a living expression of her efforts to help and protect the world.  He suited up himself before anyone saw the tears fall down his face.</p><p>Morgan was a little taller now, maybe ten or eleven.  He wondered if that was the age she'd first found the suit.  It was purple and gold and shiny.  She looked up at him, bouncing in excitement.  "I can't believe we finally get to fly together!  This is so awesome!"</p><p>"It really, really is," he agreed.</p><p>Sleipnir changed, and Frigga got on their back with a little help from her son.  Loki gave Narfi one more stroke, and then put his arms around Tony's neck and kissed his armoured cheek.  Tony felt it like he'd kissed his skin.  His eyes brightened.  "Let's fly."</p><p>They started slow, but soon realised Narfi hadn't any issues keeping pace, and picked up speed.  Morgan was fast, too.  She flew literal circles around Tony, her laughter ringing around inside his helmet.</p><p>Fortunately for Tony, the only limitations he faced now were those of imagination.  He focused his energy and his intent, and swooped up high, making her chase him.  He felt Loki cling tighter and laughed. </p><p>Her voice came tinny in his ear.  "No way!  The mark fifty isn't supposed to be that fast!"</p><p>Neither of them stopped to wonder how she was able to radio him.  She just could, that was how it worked.  "First off, speed is relative, and time and distance don't work the same way here, so we can go as fast as we want.  Secondly, this isn't the mark fifty.  This is just me."</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"Residual self-image, sweetheart."  His made his armour melt away, and continued quickly down the other side of the mountain.  Morgan caught up with him and fired a warning laser just to his left to get his attention.  He turned on the spot and hovered in front of her.  "Now who's got some catching up to do?  Welcome to the afterlife, Morgan, where magic and science are pretty much the same thing."</p><p>Loki lifted his hand to demonstrate, conjuring a small green fire in his upturned palm.  "We aren't physical, just a manifestation of our souls."</p><p>"Which is why I turned into a kid again.  Huh.  I can work with that."  She looked down at her arms and the nanobots- or soul pieces- rearranged themselves into more traditional Asgardian armour, complete with golden pauldrons and bracers, engraved breastplate and winged helm.  It looked… impressive.</p><p>They landed a short distance from the Hall and Sleipnir, Frigga and Narfi followed close behind.  Sleipnir shape shifted again and they all stopped and looked at each other.  Tony donned his armour again, just for appearances sake, and Morgan, a grown woman once more, created a purple cape that flowed out from under her pauldrons.  They both kept their faces bare.  Loki, not to be outdone, changed into his full armour too, and Frigga astonished them all (except Loki) by robing herself in all her most regal garments. </p><p>"Well," she said, "one must look one's best for one's husband.  Shall we proceed?"</p><p>The doors already stood open.  Frigga led the way, with Loki on her arm.  It felt like a wedding party.  Narfi and Morgan came next, with Tony and Sleipnir bringing up the rear.  </p><p>Odin rose to his feet, and stepped to meet them, Thor standing by his side.</p><p>"My beloved wife," he said gently, his tone formal but his one eye glistening.  "Words cannot express my delight at seeing you again."</p><p>She gave a short curtsy but kept her head raised.  "Husband, my own heart swells at the sight of you.  We have been too long parted."</p><p>They took each other's hands and kissed on the cheek.  Tony was amazed at their self restraint, but he could tell by the way that they looked at one another that they would be getting a room as soon as possible.  </p><p>Frigga turned to Thor.  "Son," she said simply, and held out her arms. </p><p>"Mother," he replied, his voice cracking, and they embraced to the sound of loud cheers.</p><p>"Sleipnir, come here my child," Odin beckoned.  They stepped forward.  "Thank you for this gift.  Narfi?"  The wolf looked up.  "I'm deeply sorry for what was done to you.  I am delighted to welcome you back into my household."  Narfi licked his hand and stood beside Loki, who rubbed his head. </p><p>Finally, he turned to Morgan. "Granddaughter.  It's an honour to meet you at last.  Welcome to Valhalla.  I've heard tales of your valour, I'm sure you'll fit right in."</p><p>She tilted her head, puzzled.  "You've heard stories about me?"</p><p>"It's a thing we do here, instead of movies," Tony explained.  "That and feasting.  And drinking.  And brawling.  It's fun."</p><p>"I like the sound of all of those things," she said, "but Allfather, my father died when I was very young, how could he know what I've been up to?"</p><p>"It was I, Daughter of Iron," Thor said, beaming at her.  "Did you think that in all this time, I had forgotten you?"</p><p>"I, uh, I guess…"</p><p>He grabbed her hand and pulled her into a great hug.  "My question is, how did you manage to end up with Mother?"</p><p>"Well, technically, I didn't die in battle, and I guess Valkyrie was busy that day or something."</p><p>"No, I mean-"</p><p>"We understand what you mean, son," Frigga interjected.  "But Morgan is one of ours.  She belongs with us.  Now, I believe someone mentioned feasting and drinking?"</p><p>Tony noticed the flash of relief on his daughter's face.  She was hiding something, and Frigga knew about it.  He looked at Loki, who raised an eyebrow like he noticed it too.  Tony pulled him aside while everyone else was finding a seat to start their meal.  "I'm gonna need your help to find out what's going on there.  Your mom knows something, but she's more likely to confide in you than in me-"</p><p>Loki chuckled.  "Isn't it obvious?"</p><p>"What?  What's obvious?"</p><p>"Your daughter has a thing for my brother."</p><p>"Wait- what?  How?"</p><p>"Starks don't get flustered like that unless, well," he smirked.  "And he's right, she shouldn't have ended up in our afterlife unless she was devoted on some level to one of us.  My brother was obviously such a big part of her life."</p><p>"Doesn't that weird you out?"</p><p>"What, that someone likes Thor?  Although I don't personally see the appeal-"</p><p>"Loki, she's my daughter!"</p><p>"Yes, and she worships your brother in law.  And if she didn't, Sleipnir may never have been able to find her, so let's be grateful that they did and let the lady decide for herself what she wants to do about it."</p><p>"Worship," he said thoughtfully.  "So not… you know…"</p><p>"The way you worship me, you mean?"</p><p>"Oh God."</p><p>"Exactly.  Come on, let's eat.  With our family."</p><p>They found places at the table, and filled their plates and cups.  Even Narfi hopped up on a chair and munched on a plate of roast boar, which (according to Sleipnir's translation) he said was most delicious.  </p><p>"So how do I go about learning to speak wolf?" Tony asked.</p><p>"Well, the easiest way is just to turn into one for a while," Loki suggested.  "You'll soon pick it up.  It doesn't work quite the same way as words do, so it's not something I can teach you in your own language."</p><p>"Oh.  I'm not sure if that sounds like work or fun."</p><p>"Loki might not be able to teach you, but I could," Odin offered.  "It's the work of a moment.  Here."  He leaned over and pressed two fingers to Tony's forehead.  It felt like a dozen migraines all at once, but then it was over.  "Narfi, say something to your step-father."</p><p>Tony blinked and his vision cleared.  He looked at Narfi.  "You smell of adventure," the wolf said.  "We should hunt."</p><p>"Sure," Tony replied.  That wasn't so weird.  In fact, it was probably a compliment.  "I'd like that.  Perhaps we all can all go."</p><p>"Not yet.  Later.  When we're hungry."</p><p>"Of course.  Morgan, would you like to come too?"</p><p>"Very much.  Narfi and I are good friends.  We've hunted together before."</p><p>"You're more than friends, now.  He's your brother."</p><p>She smiled and pressed her lips together.  "It's been a good day.  I not only get my dad back, I gain two brothers into the bargain."</p><p>"Well, one brother, one sibling.  Sleipnir's variable."</p><p>"I'm sorry, Sleipnir," she said hastily.  "How would you like me to refer to you?"</p><p>"Sibling is good.  But stick to they, because he and she are confusing.  I'm not sure if I'm both, or not quite either."</p><p>"You'll figure it out.  You know, I never imagined I'd get to be a big sister.  I'm glad you're here, and I'm looking forward to getting to know you."</p><p>They shook their head.  "I'm looking forward to when you stop thinking so linear so we can have real conversations.  That's a joke, by the way.  Because I can already remember it."</p><p>"Shouldn't you say 'pre-membered'?"</p><p>They looked thoughtful.  "But it's only premembered from your perspective.  Because you aren't there yet."</p><p>"I see.  Like an infinity symbol, curling back on itself."</p><p>"Yes, that's it!  That's one of your shapes- a wobbly circle.  I knew you'd understand."</p><p>She frowned.  "That seems like a pretty linear revelation to me."</p><p>"I know, it's just… linear doesn't always come easily to me."</p><p>She smirked.  "Give it time."  </p><p>Sleipnir threw a bread roll at her.  She caught it and bit into it.  "So did Thor tell you about that time we did a thing called <i>Get help?"</i></p><p>"Brother!" Loki scolded.  "Tell me you didn't!"</p><p>"What, he missed that one out, did he?  It was epic!"</p><p>"He used to do it with me, it was humiliating."</p><p>"The only humiliating thing was the look on the Chronicoms faces when I suited up midair and then blasted them," she laughed.  "I remembered what you told me about when Thor tried to electrify you, Dad, so I came up with this super battery so that I could hold God-levels of energy without frying the suit.  He could charge me up, and then… well, carnage."</p><p>"You remembered?" Tony asked gently.</p><p>"It was difficult to forget you.  Not that I wanted to.  But you were a legend.  Your face was everywhere.  And I kept holding on tightly to all my memories.  FRIDAY helped me make a journal."</p><p>"Wow," he breathed.  "Hey, you wanna tell everyone about those- what were they?  Comicons?"</p><p>"Chronicoms.  Time travelling androids.  They pop up now and then.  They're scarier than that sounds."</p><p>"Awesome.  I can't wait to hear it."  He stood up, raised his arms and proclaimed in a loud voice, "Warriors of Valhalla!  Today we celebrate the return of Odin's queen."  He paused for the roar and the rumble of stamped feet.  "But I also have reason to celebrate, for today I am reunited with the daughter I left behind when the Valkyrie took me from the field of battle."</p><p>"He's good at this," Morgan muttered to Thor.  </p><p>"He practices.  A lot," Thor answered, making her giggle.</p><p>"But I left a hidden treasure for her to find, her own weapons and armour for whenever she was strong enough to bear them.  And she sought them out, and became a mighty hero herself.  I bring her to you now, to entertain you with her own tales of battle.  My daughter, Morgan Stark."</p><p>There were more cheers and banging on tables as Morgan stood.  She waited for them to die down and then, in a hushed voice, began her tale.  "They came to us in secret, in disguise, as thieves who would steal our future…" </p><p>Tony planted his elbow on the table, and leaned into his fist to listen.  It <i>was</i> epic.</p><p>***</p><p>After a lot of feasting, Sleipnir climbed into Tony's lap and began to yawn.  He hugged and kissed them, and asked if they wanted to go home.</p><p>They nodded quietly. </p><p>"It's been a pretty huge day for you, love.  You've been amazing though."  He turned to Loki.  "I don't know if they've got enough energy left to change again.  We might have to walk the old fashioned way."</p><p>"That might be nice, actually."</p><p>Tony carried Sleipnir on his hip, the child half asleep already.  The light faded as they made their way through the woods, and Narfi, excited, started exploring.  He chased the various tracks and scents, but never wandered too far from the rest of them.  Loki was constantly touching him whenever he came back within reach.</p><p>It was dark by the time they reached the longhouse.  Morgan, who had been remarkably quiet on the way, let out a soft "Oh!" when she saw it.  "Daddy, it's perfect.  It's just like my home in New Asgard."</p><p>"You lived in New Asgard?"</p><p>"Sometimes.  It was more like a second home, as I had to spend most of my time in the city, running the company and doing the hero stuff and all that.  But I went back to New Agard whenever I could.  It was my haven.  I spent my final years there."  She chuckled.  "And then it became my heaven."</p><p>He placed a hand on her shoulder.  "Morgan, if you don't mind me asking, how did you…"</p><p>She looked up at him.  She was reverting to a child again, her armour replaced by a simple, yellow dress.  "Die?  Heart attack. The Asgardians kept me going a lot longer than I would have among the humans, but in the end I just needed rest.  I barely felt it.  It was fine.  And then I woke up in the middle of the meadow, by Odin's shrine."  She leaned into his side.  "That was the hardest part.  I always kind of hoped that when I died, I'd find you."</p><p>"Let's go inside.  I'll put Sleipnir to bed, and we can talk."</p><p>She nodded.  They went in.  Loki held out his arms and took Sleipnir.  "I'd like to hold them for a while," he said.  "I missed them."</p><p>Narfi looked towards the bed at the far end of the room.  "There.  Together."</p><p>Loki smiled.  "Excellent plan."</p><p>Tony kissed his cheek.  "We'll join you as soon as we're done."</p><p>They went and curled up together in a most adorable pile, and Tony turned back to see Morgan sitting by the fire, her tiny legs dangling off the edge of the bench.  He sat down beside her and scooped her into his lap.  "Tell me."</p><p>"I grieved for… well, who can say?  It felt like forever.  I was given a house, and I stayed inside, not eating, not sleeping.  Sometimes I cried, sometimes I just lay there, thinking.  I didn't know what else to do."</p><p>"Oh baby, I'm so sorry."</p><p>"Then Narfi came.  He licked my face, and something inside me lifted.  I felt like it might be okay.  I don't know why, but suddenly I had hope."</p><p>"I think I know why.  It's because he's your brother.  And even though you didn't know it yet, your souls were connected.  The same thing happened with me and Loki.  We felt the connection long before we knew what it meant.  It was like, destiny."</p><p>"I think you're right.  Anyway, Frigga was able to help me after that.  She mothered me, made sure I ate and didn't spend too long alone.  Then one day, when I was sitting by the shrine, I found this."  She put her hand in a pocket, and pulled out a small figure, with dark hair and a little beard.</p><p>Tony touched it with his fingertips.  "I made that.  It was my gift to you, but I had no idea that it had made it through."</p><p>"I felt it.  I felt you reaching for me.  So I started work, trying to figure out where you were and how to get to you.  But there was always a piece missing.  And then Sleipnir came.  And I knew."</p><p>"And now you're here.  With me.  Just where you wanted to be."</p><p>"Yes.  With you, and my other family."</p><p>He held her more tightly. </p><p>"Daddy?"</p><p>"Yes love?"</p><p>"Do you think we'll see Mom again?  And Happy, and Peter?"</p><p>"I don't know.  I suppose it's possible.  We'll have to ask Sleipnir.  Although your mom might have some stuff to say about my new living arrangements."</p><p>Morgan giggled.  "You married Loki!"</p><p>"I know! But you just can't argue with destiny.  Did she ever… was there ever anyone else for her?"</p><p>"She had plenty of suitors, but she always said she was too busy for anything serious.  I think she had some special friends, though."</p><p>"Okay, that's as much as I need to know right now."</p><p>"She was good though.  So strong- always strong.  She helped put the world back together.  But I don't think she ever found anyone who could replace you."</p><p>"I am pretty awesome, huh?"</p><p>"It was hard, growing up without you.  But I understand why you did it.  You had to save the world."</p><p>"Oh Morgan!  I didn't do it for the world.  The only thing I wanted to protect was you."</p><p>They clung to each other and wept, until a sense of peace washed over them.  He rocked her gently, and after a while he looked down and realised she was asleep.</p><p>Loki was still awake, with Sleipnir snuggled up to him on one side, and Narfi on the other.  He looked as content as Tony had ever seen him.</p><p>Tony carried Morgan over and laid her down next to Sleipnir, and then took his place beside her.  It should have been a squeeze, but Valhalla provided just enough space for them all to be close and comfortable.  He reached across the children to put a hand on Loki's waist.</p><p>There were no words that could encompass the enormity of the joy and the love that he felt, so he just smiled, and Loki knew.  He felt it too.</p><p>All was well.</p>
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